The Rest Of The Pieces
by purplepjs
Summary: It was all supposed to be over at the end of the Hazakurain Trial, but what secrets still remain unspoken about the Fey family past? Is Maya's life in danger yet again? Phoenix/Maya
1. Edgeworth Knows

Phoenix sat at his desk. He couldn't concentrate. He squinted at the papers strewn around in front of him, rubbing his temples. They might as well have been written in Latin. He sighed and leaned back in his chair, his gaze moving lazily to the window across the room. The rain pelted mercilessly against the glass, blurring his view of the world beyond the office walls.

_"So much for going for a walk to clear my head..."_ he thought to himself. He looked around the office, hoping something else would catch his attention and distract him from the paperwork he really didn't feel like doing. There was _something_ else he knew could distract him. Or rather, someone. Phoenix squeezed his eyes shut.

_"No."_ He thought sternly to himself. _"__She_ _is the reason you can't concentrate to begin with. Suck it up and get this work done. Focus Phoenix!" _

He looked at the page in front of him again. It was no use. Cleanly typed pages of text began to swirl around the page before his eyes. He blinked a few times. They weren't getting any clearer.

"Ugh." He groaned. "I'm working too hard." He slammed his pen down and took a deep breath. Ignoring the desperate pleas of his sensible subconscious, his attention once again turned to the other occupant of the office.

A pair of small feet hung lazily over the edge of the couch, their owner enjoying an afternoon nap.

"Maya..." he breathed. He wasn't quite sure if he had said it out loud or in his head. Not that it mattered, he mused with a small smile. She was fast asleep anyway. Phoenix couldn't really deny that his attitude to the young girl had changed dramatically since _'that'_ case and everything that had followed.

He recalled at first how he had tried to deny everything, even to himself, like some childish defence mechanism. He simply tried to push his feelings aside. She was _Maya_ after all. '_She's Mia's kid sister!'_ he'd tried desperately to convince himself. But the truth was, that Maya was most definitely not a kid anymore. She was, in fact, a rather attractive young woman. Her soft facial features had become more defined, legs got longer and curves got...well...curvier. At twenty years old, Maya Fey had grown into a beauty that could rival even her older sister.

A few days after the Hazakurain trial had ended; Phoenix had received a visit from Edgeworth. Although brief, it would prove to be quite significant. Looking back, he knew that was the first time he had to confront his growing affection for his young assistant. Edgeworth was heading overseas for a few months and wanted to say goodbye to those he now considered 'friends'. At the time, Phoenix remembered thinking that such trivial sentimentalities were very out of character for someone as stoic as Edgeworth. But then again, the events at Hazakura Temple had changed them all in some way or another. He should have realized that he couldn't hide anything from Edgeworth. The man was as observant out of the courtroom as he was in. Any attempt by Phoenix to hide the truth would definitely be for naught. Edgeworth didn't miss a beat.

* * *

_(a few months earlier)_

Sitting at his desk, Phoenix half listened to Edgeworth's European travel plans, not really paying his friend as much attention as he should have been. Maya sat on the couch, silently stroking Pearl's hair as her young cousin slept on her lap. Maya still wore that same faraway, vacant expression on her face that had been her mask for the last two days. Staring at something, yet nothing at all.

It didn't take long for Edgeworth to realize Phoenix wasn't really listening to him. He followed the defense attorney's line of sight, and found what he was in fact paying attention to, or rather, who. Edgeworth stopped mid sentence, a smirk creeping across his face. It took Phoenix another ten seconds or so to notice the lack of background noise. He turned to look at Edgeworth, immediately noticing the man's uncharacteristically odd facial expression.

"...What?" Phoenix asked, perhaps a little too defensively.

"I knew it." Edgeworth said smugly. He crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair, as if he had just uncovered a piece of decisive evidence.

"Knew what?" Phoenix inquired carefully. He had a feeling he knew where this was going, but he'd be damned if he was going to give in to his prosecutor friend so easily.

Edgeworth laced his fingers together, regarding Phoenix quizzically before speaking again.

"I must say, I had my suspicions after the Engarde trial, but you pretty much confirmed them with what you did at Hazakura Temple."

"I don't know what you're talking about, Edgeworth." Phoenix snapped. His inability to meet Edgeworth's knowing gaze added little weight to his words.

Edgeworth stared incredulously at Phoenix, trying to figure out whether the man was feigning ignorance, or whether he was really _that_ stupid. He opted for the former, although there was probably a lot of the latter in the equation too.

"You crossed a burning bridge, Wright. You crossed it for her." Edgeworth said calmly, stating his case further.

Phoenix looked down at his desk, anywhere to avert his eyes from Edgeworth's. The guy had a knack for extracting the truth.

"Keep it down, will you?" Phoenix whispered, his annoyance evident in his voice. Edgeworth scoffed lightly and shook his head.

"She doesn't know?" he asked.

"No." Phoenix responded.

"I can't say it was one of your finer moments, Wright. I don't know what you were expecting to achieve."

Phoenix's gaze remained firmly fixed on the desk in front of him. Edgeworth smiled sardonically, shaking his head again.

"Franziska is right. You are a fool."

Phoenix stared at him, a little surprised at his friend's bluntness. Edgeworth cocked an eyebrow, daring Phoenix to respond with a reason, any reason, as to why his assessment was incorrect. Phoenix looked away again, leaning his elbows on his desk and his chin on his hands.

"I-It's...it was nothing really. I don't even know why I did it. It just happened. It's not important."

After a few moments of silence, Edgeworth decided there was nothing more to say. He stood and moved towards the office door.

"Well, I still have much to take care of before my flight tomorrow. Take care, Wright. Miss Fey." He finished, nodding curtly in her direction.

"Goodbye Mr Edgeworth!" Maya smiled. Phoenix watched her, her smile twisting his insides into uncomfortable knots. That wasn't her real smile. Just the one she had been using the past few days to ensure everyone that she was _'alright.'_ He knew that couldn't be further from the truth.

Phoenix stood up to see his visitor to the door. Half way through it, Edgeworth turned around to face him.

"Wright," he said simply.

"Yes?"

"Love makes a man do foolish things," Edgeworth stated, casting one last glance at Maya before turning and heading down the hallway. Phoenix closed the office door behind him with a soft click, sighing to himself.

"Nick...?"

Maya's voice drifted from across the room. "What does he mean by that?"

Phoenix gulped.

"Do you think that maybe Mr Edgeworth has a girlfriend?" she wondered out loud, placing a finger on her chin, as she often did when deep in thought. Edgeworth's cryptic nature had confused her more than once. Phoenix chuckled, relieved that Edgeworth's statement had flown clean over her head.

"I have no idea, Maya," he lied.


	2. It's Nice to Have Family

No sooner had Edgeworth left, Phoenix glanced at his watch, surprised by how late in the afternoon it already was.

"Maya, would you wake Pearl?" he asked, searching his desk for a particular file. "We only have 45 minutes before visiting hours are over for Iris. I promised her we would come see her today."

Maya nodded and gently shook the young girl.

"C'mon Pearly," she whispered. "It's time to go visit your sister."

* * *

Visiting Iris was still quite difficult for Phoenix. Not much time had passed since the trial and a lot of the time he found himself struggling for something to say. Iris didn't seem to notice any awkwardness with their visits, and if she had picked up on anything she hadn't mentioned it. She always seemed glad to have visitors and today was no exception.

Iris mentioned that she had already had a few visitors, and that she hoped Sister Bikini would be back to see her again before the end of the week. She was clearly lonely. Phoenix did feel sorry for her. Despite what she had done, prison was no place for someone as delicate as Iris.

"Iris...I...uh..." Phoenix began. "I'm so sorry that you're in here."

"Don't worry about me, Fee...err, Phoenix" she said, correcting herself, although Phoenix wasn't sure why. "I made some mistakes, and now I have to learn from them."

Phoenix gave her a sad smile. She was being brave.

"That doesn't matter." Phoenix said, calming his nerves with an easy switch to his more professional lawyer demeanour. "I'm going to see what I can do about appealing your sentence, or at the very least, have you placed under house arrest back at Hazakurain. I see no reason why you should have to remain in prison given the nature of your crime and the improbability of you re-offending." He said, looking over the file he had brought with him. He put the file down, and looked up at Iris.

"Prison, well...it...it doesn't suit you, Iris." He finished.

Iris smiled. She was genuinely touched.

"You'd do that for me? Even after...even after..." she looked away, her eyes welling up with tears.

Phoenix felt like he wanted to hug her. Iris seemed to have effect on everybody.

"What's done is done, Iris." He said softly, trying his best to console her. "We should all just do our best to move on with our lives. Forgive and forget."

She smiled at him again. His forgiveness obviously meant a lot to her. Phoenix watched her, studying her face, her eyes. Now that he thought about it, it was somewhat possible to tell the difference between her and Dahlia. Her eyes held a sincerity that her sister's did not, and her smile was far more honest than anything Dahlia could have managed.

But even so, when he looked at Iris, he still couldn't help but see Dahlia's sneering face in the back of his mind. He knew that wasn't fair on Iris at all, but he couldn't help feeling that way. He knew that somewhere, some tiny part of him would always be paranoid around her. Always wondering if Dahlia had somehow figured out a way to come back and haunt him. He wondered if things could have been different for them. What the future could have held, if Iris were an only child.

"_Nothing."_ He inwardly reminded himself. _"If Iris were an only child, you never would have met her."_ He had come to the conclusion a while ago that it was never meant to be.

Iris blushed and looked away, and Phoenix realised that he had been staring at her. Unfortunately, for him, this action was not lost on Pearl, who promptly slapped him, and gave him a piece of her mind.

"Honestly, Mr Nick." She said disapprovingly. "How can you look at another woman like that? Mystic Maya is sitting right here! Shame on you."

"Pearls, you don't underst-"

Phoenix's excuse was cut short by another slap from the unimpressed pint-sized medium.

"Pearly, please. That's enough."

Maya's weak request caused Phoenix to turn around and look at her. She looked away before he could make eye contact.

"_Way to go, Wright,"_ he thought to himself. _"You just gave three women the wrong idea, all at once. That's got to be some kind of record."_

Shaking off the embarrassment he felt, he turned his attention back to Iris.

"Like I said, I'll look into an appeal for you, and I'll be in touch as to where we head from here. I'll be happy to represent you again, should the need arise, although it shouldn't come to that" He said formally. "In the meantime, if there is anything else I can help you with, you know where to contact me."

He stood, signalling to Iris that he was preparing to leave.

"Thank you, Phoenix." She said sincerely. "For everything... Thank you."

He nodded in reply, picking up the file on the desk in front of him. Maya stood also, taking Pearl by the hand.

"Don't worry," Maya said, smiling at her cousin. "Nick will get you out of here. You can count on him. And I'll bring Pearly back to visit you again soon."

"Thank you, Maya." Iris said with a small smile. "It's nice to have some family again."

* * *

The walk back to the office was tense. Pearls chatted constantly about anything and everything that was going on around her, but apart from answering Pearl's questions, Maya spoke very little. Phoenix felt completely useless. Had his interactions with Iris really affected her that much, or was it something else entirely?

It wasn't long before they reached the office, and Pearl wasted no time rushing inside. Phoenix grabbed Maya by the arm as she went to follow her young cousin, his action startling her. She turned around to face him, the protest on her lips falling silent when she saw the serious expression on his face.

"Maya." He said grimly. "Are. You. Okay... And don't lie to me."

It sounded like it was more a statement than a question. Her face was blank for a few moments, before changing magically into the same smile she had given Edgeworth only hours before.

"Seriously, Nick." She said, freeing her arm from his grasp. "Why does everyone keep asking me that? I'm fine!"

She moved across the office, towards Pearl, who was currently making herself comfortable on the couch.

"You all need to lighten up!" she finished, a little too unconvincingly for Phoenix's liking.

"Maya..." he said, his tone questioning. She smiled at him again.

He sighed, figuring she wasn't ready to talk. He would wait.

"...Nevermind." he finished, joining the pair on the couch and flicking on the TV.

Maybe the Steel Samurai would be on...


	3. Sleepless Nights

**A/N: Don't own, don't ask. How cute are these two though? Seriously. So awkward and hopeless. I just want to push them together. I feel Pearl's frustration.**

**Thank you to my reviewers and readers too. You guys rock.**

* * *

The lights from the busy Gatewater Hotel streamed through Phoenix's bedroom window, making the room considerably brighter than anything should be at that time of night. The flimsy curtains did little to filter out the harsh intrusion that the grand hotel inflicted on its unsuspecting neighbours once the sun went down. Phoenix groaned and pulled a pillow over his head. Normally, the lights from the Gatewater didn't bother him at all. He had taken over the lease of this small loft apartment above the office after Mia had died – it was cheap and suited his needs, but right now he cursed that decision. Phoenix usually slept like a rock – Maya would joke that he could sleep through an earthquake, but tonight for some reason, sleep eluded him. He began to calculate in his mind just how much trouble he would get into if he snuck over to the Gatewater and cut the power. Surely if he woke Maya up, she would be up for such a crazy adventure...

Realising that it would be pretty unfair to wake Maya if she were asleep and also that he knew next to nothing about electrical work, Phoenix removed the pillow from his head and resumed staring at the ceiling. He'd counted the small cracks in the paint more times than he was willing to admit since going to bed a few hours ago. Pearl had fallen asleep quite early, and he and Maya hadn't really moved from the couch since getting back from the detention centre that afternoon – save for answering the door when the pizza they had ordered arrived. Just like earlier, Maya really hadn't seemed in the mood for talking, so she and Phoenix had spent the evening watching a couple of terrible action movies, silently enjoying each others company before heading off to bed around midnight. But here he was, hours later. Still awake. Even though his body screamed for sleep, his hyperactive brain had other ideas.

"_Love makes a man do foolish things..."_

Edgeworth's words echoed through his mind for the umpteenth time since his head hit the pillow. Phoenix frowned.

"Stupid Edgeworth. Where does he get off being so cool, whipping out lines like that and then disappearing off into the sunset. That doesn't happen in real life. It's like something out of a movie." Phoenix muttered childishly to himself.

He thought about what he had just said for a moment before deciding that Edgeworth wasn't really a "real life" kind of guy, with his lavish lifestyle and pompous attitude. If he was trying to impart some wisdom on Phoenix, you could trust Edgeworth to do it in the most extravagant manner possible.

Eccentricities aside, it was clear to Phoenix that Edgeworth definitely had the idea firmly planted in his mind that he was harbouring romantic feelings toward his assistant. But that was preposterous. Wasn't it?

His thoughts again turned to Maya. He'd spent the last few hours trying to figure out exactly what she meant to him, and the answer was becoming much cloudier the more he tried to identify it. What was it that was so clear to Edgeworth that he couldn't work out himself?

He cared deeply for Maya – that was obvious enough, but love her? He wasn't sure if he would call it love. So what if there may have been something different about the way he cared for her in comparison to the way he cared for his other friends, but he didn't think he could say it was love, even if Edgeworth would. Love was a really strong word. A great, big, strong, looming, overbearing word.

Phoenix didn't really have that much experience when it came to love, but he knew that the way he felt about Maya was different to the way he had felt about Dahlia (or Iris, now that he thought about it) – and he had always assumed he was in love with her. He remembered going out of his way to impress Dahlia, feeling giddy at the sight of her and wanting to tell everyone how he felt about her... Love in his mind was cute and sweet, full of enthusiastic declarations of love and gushing over your sweetheart. He didn't feel the need to impress Maya, he knew she already thought highly of him. She certainly didn't make him feel giddy either, in fact it was more the opposite. Maya made him feel confident in himself. With her by his side, he felt like there was no case he couldn't turn on its head. He also noted that he wasn't too eager to tell anybody that he was confused about how he felt at her, yet he had wanted to tell everyone he met about Dahlia.

He imagined making an exuberant confession of love to Maya, just as he had on a daily basis for Dahlia. He just couldn't see himself doing that. Maya would probably react by looking at him as if he had grown an extra head before breaking into a fit of giggles. Everything seemed different to the way it had been with Dahlia, so therefore it _must_ be something different at the source of it all. He had loved Dahlia, so that meant that whatever he felt for Maya couldn't be love too...right?

Phoenix summed up his thoughts, as if preparing a closing statement for the court. He was right. He was sure of it. Problem solved.

"_So there."_ He thought to himself in a somewhat juvenile manner. This whole line of thought seemed to be turning his inner monologue into a defensive twelve year old. He surmised that his investigation had proven that one Phoenix Wright was not in love with one Maya Fey.

"Take that, Edgeworth." He mumbled_."So much for your crazy ideas, pal."_ He silently added.

After a few more minutes of ceiling staring, Phoenix begrudgingly realised that sleep still hadn't arrived and that his "investigation" had got him nowhere. While he may have convinced himself that he didn't love Maya, at least not in a romantic sense, he still wasn't any closer to figuring out what this strange feeling was that he felt for her.

He couldn't deny that she was very pretty – anyone with eyes could see that. She also had a dazzling smile, and a great personality. She was so caring, the way she looked after him and Pearls, and there was that cute face she pulled when she had an idea...

Phoenix abruptly kneecapped his thought process.

"_She's my friend!" _he sternly told himself. Again. "_I'd never dream of crossing that line!"_

He sighed. This train of thought was getting him nowhere. Two hours of staring at the ceiling and all he had done so far was figure out that he had some sort of unidentifiable attachment to Maya. He wondered why he was so protective of her. That seemed to be the one thing that rose to the surface when he thought about her. When it came to Maya Fey, Phoenix Wright was insanely, fiercely, protective. He couldn't even begin to entertain the idea of someone saying something bad about her. When she was in danger, he felt like his world was crumbling. He would do anything to make sure she was safe. Was it because that's what Mia would have wanted?

_"Why?"_ he thought. _"Why do I feel this way? How does she do that to me?"_

Not willing to torture himself thinking about it anymore, Phoenix rolled on to his side, the window now behind him. Instead, the bright red illumination of the digital clock stared him in the face.

3.54 it displayed, seemingly mocking his lack of sleep. He scowled at the clock. It flicked over yet another minute in response.

_"Great."_ He thought. _"Now I'm engaging in a battle of wits with my alarm clock."_

He huffed and rolled on to his back once more, squeezing his eyes shut as tight as he could. He willed sleep to come.

Needless to say, it didn't.

Phoenix however, wasn't the only one lying awake that night. Just down the hall, a young spirit medium with the weight of the world on her shoulders cried silent tears into her pillow, although unlike her friend, romance was the very last thing on her mind.


	4. Responsibility

**A/N: Whee! Another chapter. I'm on fire. This one is longer than usual, but that's a good thing. No end in sight yet folks. Dontcha hate it when a story decides to take off on its own?**

**Just another note too, I'm hoping that the timeline of this story won't be confusing to understand. The first part of the first chapter is in April, while the rest of it so far has been in February, showing the events that lead up to April. Maybe I should add dates?**

**Hope Maya isn't too OOC either. We only ever see chipper/brave Maya so this was kinda hard. Anyhoo thanks again to my readers and reviewers – you guys keep me writing. Enjoy!**

* * *

Maya plodded down the narrow hallway of Phoenix's small apartment, yawning loudly and rubbing her eyes. It was just before lunch when she had finally dragged herself out of bed, her growling stomach forcing her to get up for something to eat. It had pretty much been the same story for the last week. Her sleeping had become so erratic lately and her body clock was all out of sync with the real world.

She couldn't help it, sleep just didn't happen as easily as it did before. The night time felt completely new to her, like she was facing it for the first time. She felt so alone, so afraid. The darkness led her mind into places that she did not want it to go. It meant remembering. It meant fear. It meant sorrow. Many hours were spent crying tears that never seemed to run out before her tired body fell asleep from sheer exhaustion, causing her to sleep well into the morning. Phoenix hadn't mentioned the distinct change in Maya's personality (and sleeping habits) and to be honest, she was glad. She really wasn't ready to talk about it. She wasn't exactly sure when she would be, either.

Maya wondered idly if Pearl was downstairs already. She shuffled into the kitchen, noticing a chair pulled up to the counter, along with the chaos that consisted of spilled cheerio's and milk.

"_Nick is bad, but not __that__ messy..."_ she thought to herself figuring that Pearl must have already been up for some time. Maya assumed that Pearl would be sitting in front of the small TV in the office downstairs, some unknown cartoon keeping her completely captivated. She headed for the fridge to see if there was anything edible inside. The outside of the fridge was cluttered with all sorts of things stuck down by a strange mixture of magnets. A mess of photos, coupons and bills stared back at her, but a piece of paper in the top left corner caught her attention. She smiled upon recognizing Phoenix's messy scrawl.

The phrase_ "FREE BURGERS" _was written in huge letters across the top of the note. Maya giggled and continued to read.

"_Sorry Maya, just wanted to make sure this note got your attention. Your cousin Andre rang early this morning to tell you he'll be picking up Pearls around three and taking her home. I'll probably be down at the detention centre most of the day. If you need anything, call my cell. – Nick."_

"_Oh, shoot." _she thought sadly. She had completely forgotten about Pearl having to go home today. "It's probably for the best..." she sighed to herself, dropping the note on the counter and heading down the stairs that led to the office.

Pearl was indeed exactly where Maya presumed she would be. Lying on the floor in front of the TV, chin in her hands. Her empty cereal bowl sat on the floor to her left, while a number of picture books were spread out across the floor to her right.

"_God forbid we actually have a client come in to the office..."_ Maya thought to herself. _"They'll think we're running some sort of day care centre."_ She padded over to the couch and flopped down, surprising Pearl, who had been far too engrossed in the bear stealing picnic baskets to have heard her approach.

"Mystic Maya!" she cried happily, turning to smile at her cousin. "Good Morning!"

"Morning Pearly." Maya responded. Pearl turned back to the television show she was watching.

"Did you sleep well?" Pearl asked, eyes not moving from the screen.

"Yeah, I guess I did." Maya lied. There wasn't any point telling Pearl otherwise.

"That's good." Pearl said cheerily. "Did you have any good dreams? I bet you dreamed about Mr Nick didn't you, Mystic Maya?" she added cheekily, causing Maya to chuckle.

"No, Pearly. I did not dream about Nick." Maya said, rolling her eyes.

"That's a shame." Pearl said nonchalantly, still engrossed in the cartoon she was watching.

After a few moments, the show ended, and Pearl sat up, turning her back to the TV and facing Maya.

"Where is Mr Nick, anyway?" Pearl asked. "He wasn't here when I got up."

"He's down at the detention centre again." Maya replied.

"With Sister Iris?"

"Yep."

Maya sighed. Pearl eyed her suspiciously.

"Does that bother you, Mystic Maya?"

Maya felt herself get slightly flustered.

"What? No! If course not." She protested. Pearl shrugged.

"Okay." Pearl conceded, raising her eyebrows. "Well, it's just that you said he's at the detention centre_ "again_" as if that bothered you, then you let out that big sigh when I asked about Sister Iris, and then when we were there the other day he was staring at..."

"Okay, Pearly. I get it." Maya interrupted."I'm not jealous, I'm just...tired. I'm tired that's all. And I feel like I haven't seen Nick for days."

Although her claims of being tired were nothing more than a weak excuse, the rest of it was the truth. She really hadn't seen Phoenix for more than a few hours in the last three days. Apparently the appeal on Iris's sentence was going well and it seemed very likely she would be allowed to serve out the rest of her sentence back home at Hazakurain, under the care of Sister Bikini. Phoenix seemed obsessed with getting this done, and okay, maybe she was a_ little_ jealous. She would admit that to herself, but definitely not to Pearl.

"But that's not important." Maya said, changing the subject and grinning at the little girl. "We've only got a few hours before you have to go home, so how 'bout we pack a picnic and head down to People Park?"

Pearl clapped her hands together excitedly, a huge smile spreading across her face.

"I'd love that, Mystic Maya!" Her face fell suddenly. "It's a shame Mr Nick can't come too." She said, a hint of sadness in her voice.

"Doesn't matter." Maya said with a smile, standing up and helping her young cousin to her feet. "We'll have a blast Pearly, just you and me. Go on and get yourself ready."

"Do I really have to go home today, Mystic Maya?" Pearl asked sadly.

"I'm afraid so, Pearly." Maya responded. "The elders want you to continue with your training, so you have to go home."

"What about your training, Mystic Maya?"

Maya cringed. The million dollar question.

"Don't worry about me Pearly, I'll sort it out. Now hurry! Get your shoes!" she said as cheerily as she could. It appeared it was a good enough answer for Pearl, who scurried off with no further questions. Maya sighed_. _She really didn't want to think about what Kurain held for her right now. She wondered what Phoenix was doing. Pearl was right about one thing.

"_It would be better if Nick were coming Pearly. It really would." _She thought wistfully before heading back up the stairs to get ready herself.

* * *

The trip to the park seemed to be just what Maya needed. The sunshine lifted her spirits considerably and it warmed her heart to see Pearl so genuinely happy. They ate lunch together, fed the baby ducks and Maya had even pushed Pearl on the swing. She giggled and grinned, and Maya couldn't believe that it had only been a week since _that_ case ended. It felt like they were a world away, which made her happy. She was happiest when she could forget.

Satisfied with their day of fun in the sun, the girls began their short walk back to the office. They hadn't got very far when Maya felt Pearl tugging gently on her hand. She looked down at the tiny girl, only to find her yawning and rubbing at her eyes.

"Mystic Maya, can you pick me up?" Pearl asked wearily. Maya smiled and lifted the girl into her arms. It was lucky that Pearl was so small for her age. That and they were only about a block from the office anyway. Maya shifted Pearl's weight so she sat comfortably on her hip, and began walking again. A minute or so passed and Maya noticed that Pearl was fast asleep.

Finally back at the office building, Maya climbed the stairs that led to the Wright & Co Law Offices, only to find her cousin Andre leaning casually against the wall outside the door.

"You're early." She said to him, unlocking the door and heading inside the empty office.

"You're late." He responded, following her inside. Maya carefully positioned Pearl on the couch so as not to wake her.

"Nick told me three. It's half past two."

Andre decided to make himself comfortable by taking a seat on the edge of Phoenix's desk. Maya cringed at her conceited cousin's invasion of Phoenix's space.

"Well, I told Mr Wright two o clock. He _must_ have got it wrong."

Maya rolled her eyes. Of all the people they would send to pick up Pearl, it had to be Andre Fey. Although she referred to Andre as a cousin, she wasn't exactly sure how they were related at all. Second cousin...third cousin maybe? She wasn't sure. But what she did know is that Andre was about as stuck up as they come. His family did have _some_ connection to the Fey head family – she knew that much and Andre was just the type of person to milk it for all it was worth. Also, the fact that he was one of the only males permanently living in Kurain only helped inflate his ego to galactic proportions. Any girl who wasn't a blood relative gushed over him like you wouldn't believe. Maya conceded that while he was conventionally attractive it was his excessive self belief that made him repulsive in her eyes. His dark hair and eyes gave him a rather mysterious air, and the agricultural work that his family looked over in the village ensured he maintained his strong physique, but nonetheless, he was a huge jerk.

"Regardless, we are here now. You can take her." Maya said flatly.

"Actually," he began. "I have a message for you as well."

Maya said nothing, deciding that staring at him impatiently would be more poignant. Andre smirked at her, examining his fingernails before speaking again.

"The Elders have requested that you return to Kurain also."

Maya felt her heart sink in her chest.

"I can't do that right now, Andre." Maya said in the calmest voice she could manage. "I am needed here."

"Don't you think you are needed much more back in Kurain, _Mystic_ Maya?" he said, placing a little too much emphasis on the word 'Mystic'. "You do realise that you are the one responsible to make the arrangements for your mothers burial. Misty Fey is dead, and that makes you the master, which in turn means the duty falls to you."

Maya closed her eyes, her brow furrowing as she registered the full impact of Andre's insensitivity to her mothers passing.

"Get out Andre. Take Pearl and get out." Maya said through gritted teeth.

Andre smirked again, and shook his head.

"Maya Fey." He said incredulously. "I must say I am terribly disappointed in you. After everything you have been given, you still insist on leaving your duty and tradition behind to chase this ridiculous notion of law."

Maya scowled at him, but it didn't seem to faze him.

"Or..." he continued, crossing his arms. "Is it the lawyer that you are chasing?" he finished, raising an eyebrow.

"I thought I asked you to get out, Andre. Now leave." Maya said again, her calm grasp on the situation slowly slipping away.

He glared at her then, his expression changing from one of smug self satisfaction to one of resentment.

"You bring shame to the Fey Family, Maya. Just like your sister. Just like your mother. You don't deserve to be master." He spat, before striding over to the couch and scooping up Pearl into his arms.

"Kurain is better off without the disgrace you bring it. Maybe you shouldn't come back."

Andre picked up the small backpack by the door that contained Pearls belongings and shot Maya one last icy stare before storming out, slamming the door behind him.

Maya remained frozen for a few moments, breathing unevenly. Andre's bluntness had left her in some form of shock. Then it happened. Looking back she could have sworn that she felt herself break in that instant. Slowly, she sank to her knees on the floor. Small sobs began to shake her tiny frame as tear after tear trickled down her cheeks. It was all coming out. All the pain she felt...all the anguish. She sat there for a very long time, body hunched over, her hands balled into fists as the tears kept falling.

As the orange glow of the sunset filtered through the window across the room, loud sobs echoed heartbreakingly through the empty office and a broken woman sat all alone with her head in her hands.


	5. Strange Behavior

**A/N. Is it clear to everyone right now that this fic is consuming my life? Mmm hrmm. Okay. Good. Another chapter. Direct from my brain to you. Lucky I have nothing constructive to do right now. It would seriously suck having to juggle my insatiable need to write this fic with an actual life.**

* * *

Phoenix hung up the phone and leaned back in his chair, lacing his fingers behind his head. He felt pretty damn proud of himself. He had just received word that his appeal against Iris's incarceration had been successful, and that she would be transferred back to Hazakurain by the end of the week. Thanks to his efforts, she would now get to serve out her sentence under the supervision of Sister Bikini. She was going to be ecstatic when she found out. He made a mental note to call her the moment the official paperwork had been signed.

He needed to tell Maya the good news. Glancing at the clock, he saw that it was a quarter past ten, and it appeared Maya was still in bed. He sighed. She had been sleeping a lot lately. He didn't know whether it was best to wake her or let her sleep. Should he say something about the way she had been acting or should he just leave it alone? He frowned. She'd been through so much, and Phoenix knew he would be lying if he said he hadn't been going out of his mind worrying about her.

That was why he'd put so much effort into Iris's appeal. It was a welcome distraction. If he kept his mind busy, then it was safe to bet that it wouldn't drift to thoughts of Maya. He felt selfish for feeling that way, but his situation with Maya was just a little too confusing and time consuming to deal with right now. But if that alone wasn't bad enough, Phoenix also felt at a complete loss for what to do or say around her as she dealt with the pain of her mother's passing. The right words were difficult to locate. _"I'm so sorry…"_ and _"Everything is going to be fine..."_ sounded weak and stupid in his mind, and he knew that she needed her own space to help her deal with everything in whatever way she felt was best for her.

As far as he knew, Pearl had gone back to Kurain yesterday but Maya had already gone to bed by the time he got home last night, so he wasn't completely sure. He hadn't really seen Maya that much in the last week, and he did feel guilty about it. He may not be able to say the right things to make her feel better, but maybe having him around would be of some help to her. At least he hoped it was. Tapping his hands on his desk, he decided that he was going to wake her. Maya had already missed enough of this beautiful day. A nice lunch in celebration of his victory today would do her a world of good.

He jogged up the stairs and stopped outside her room, only to find a note stuck to the door.

"_How did I miss that when I got up this morning?"_ he wondered. Snatching the note off the door, he read it to himself.

"_Nick. Gone to library. Be back around lunch. Maybe. – Maya. PS. You owe me a free burger for getting my hopes up yesterday. HA HA!"_

Phoenix stared at the note for a few minutes, not quite sure what to make of it. It was brief, but it definitely sounded like the old Maya. She'd been so despondent and withdrawn lately he found it hard to imagine her writing this letter at all. And why was she going to the library anyway?

* * *

It was indeed around lunch time when the door to the Wright & Co Law Office flung open and Maya Fey barreled through, the large stack of books she had in her arms plummeting to the floor with a crash.

"Oops." She said sheepishly, giving Phoenix a small smile. Phoenix moved from his chair to help her pick up the books. Kneeling on the floor, he picked one up and examined the title.

"Channeling in the New Age..." he read aloud. He picked up another. "Great Mediums in History?" he read, shooting Maya a puzzled look. "What do you need all these for?"

Maya took the book he was holding from his hands, placing it atop the pile she had made.

"It's important for me to continue my studies, Nick. Even if I'm not in Kurain." She said simply. "Kurain Master is expected to know all about everything in these books. I don't want to let anyone down..." She broke eye contact with Phoenix as she trailed off, looking down at the pile of books, an odd expression marring her features.

Phoenix stood, dusting off the knees of his pants, while Maya carried her large pile of reading material over to the other desk in the office, which he had given to her. As he watched her move across the room towards her desk, fear and panic washed over him the instant he realized he'd been not so innocently thinking about how short her skirt was. Maya placed the books down with a thud and turned around just in time to catch Phoenix with a 'deer in headlights' expression on his face. She tilted her head to the side and looked at him quizzically. Figuring out he had been busted, Phoenix cleared his throat and turned his attention to the window.

"So..." she began, ignoring his weirdness. "How have your last few days been, stranger? Any luck with your appeal?"

He turned back to her and grinned.

"Absolutely. Complete success." He said, lifting his chin in a proud manner. "Would you expect anything less from the great Phoenix Wright?"

She laughed at his exaggerated opinion of himself.

"That's fantastic, Nick. I'm so proud of you." She gave him a big smile, a real one, he noted, and he couldn't help but puff his chest out a little with pride. Maya must have noticed, because she giggled before speaking again.

"So, tell me about it. What's happening?" she asked eagerly.

"Well," he started, "The appeal against incarceration was approved, and they are allowing her to serve her sentence in Hazakurain."

Phoenix recoiled inwardly as soon as the name of that place left his lips. _"Stupid!"_ he thought to himself. _"Just go on and blurt out the name of the place where she was attacked and her mother was killed..."_

Surprisingly, the expression on Maya's face didn't change at all. It was like the word "Hazakurain" didn't even register in the slightest.

"We should go visit." She said, her smile not leaving her face. Phoenix made no effort to hide his baffled expression.

"What? A-Are you sure?" he stammered.

"Sure." She said calmly. "Why not?"

"Because...err...because...umm..." Phoenix struggled to find the right words to say _'It's only been a week since you were brutally attacked and your mother was murdered there…'_ without coming off as insensitive. There really weren't any. Tact had never been his forte.

"I promised Iris that I would bring Pearl to see her again soon, and this seems like a perfect opportunity. A happy occasion. Don't you think, Nick?" Maya interrupted, her expression seeking his approval.

"Uhh...Sure..." Phoenix agreed, bewildered.

"Great!" Maya said with a grin. "You make the arrangements with Sister Bikini, and I'll phone Pearl. I know she's only just gone back to Kurain, but surely the elders will allow her to make the trip, because she can train while she is there!"

Maya hurried over to the phone, picking up the receiver and dialing the number she had memorized, while Phoenix looked on, flabbergasted.

Maya just...she didn't make any sense… Could it even be possible for her to get over an event of this magnitude, seemingly overnight? Phoenix really didn't think so. But how else could he explain this sudden shift in her behavior? Maya looked like Maya, so she definitely wasn't channeling anybody she shouldn't have been. But still, it was like she was a completely different person to the Maya he had seen over the past few days.

Phoenix scratched his head as Maya hung up the phone.

"Pearly thinks it's a great idea! Find out when Iris will be back in Hazakurain, and we'll go right away. The sooner the better!" Maya chirped.

Phoenix frowned. She was _way_ too happy. Not that he wouldn't have been genuinely relieved if it was really the truth, but he really didn't feel like it was. Something was off about Maya's sunny demeanor. His thoughts however, were interrupted when Maya left his desk and headed towards him. She came to a halt in front of him and grabbed his tie, using it to pull his face down towards hers.

Phoenix gulped. He could feel his cheeks burning, and honestly hoped that it wasn't physically visible. His brain was firing off all sorts of warning signals. What was she doing? Being in such close proximity to Maya was making him break out in a sweat. He stared at her. Her dark eyes sparkled mischievously. His heart was pounding in his ears. He wondered if she could hear it.

"You, sir…" she began, a playful smirk on her lips, "…owe me a burger."

Then, without warning, she let go of his tie and pranced towards the door. Phoenix took a deep breath, trying to calm himself.

"_What the __hell__ was that Wright?"_ he asked himself. He couldn't believe that such a small action from Maya had rattled him so immensely. So much for his argument that Maya didn't have that kind of effect on him. She'd just blown that logic clear out of the water.

"C'mon Nick!" she said impatiently, hand on her hip as she waited by the door. "I'm starving. Let's go!"

Shaking off what remained of his hormone induced panic state; Phoenix decided quickly that a happy Maya was a good Maya, at least in the short term. He grabbed his jacket and joined the young spirit medium as she walked out the door, pulling it closed behind him. He would get to the bottom of her strange behavior and seemingly miraculous recovery later.

As for right now, he knew there was only one thing to do. He was buying this girl a burger!


	6. Not Hungry

**A/N: Man, this chapter was SO HARD to write. It just didn't want to come out! At all! But it's here now, whether I like it or not. Writers block is NOT fun. However, I did enjoy infusing slight elements of Hobo Nick into his current character. That badassery had to start somewhere right? LOL**

* * *

Just as Phoenix knew she would be, Iris was absolutely overjoyed when he told her of their successful appeal. The arrangements for her transfer to Hazakurain were made immediately and even though it went against what he thought was the right thing to do, Phoenix made the arrangements for Maya, Pearl and himself to visit, leaving day after next. He had a bad feeling about their impromptu holiday, but he'd figured out a long time ago that he couldn't say no to Maya. Even if he wasn't entirely sure that the idea he was agreeing to was in her best interest.

Maya, however, seemed thrilled by the impending visit.

"_Probably a little too thrilled."_ Phoenix thought to himself, wondering whether it was safe to trust his gut or whether he was just being too suspicious of the girl. Maybe this was all a part of her grieving process? But if that was the case, she really hadn't given too much time to the actual "grief" portion. He drummed his fingers on the arm of the couch.

"_Maybe I should just leave it_." He thought. If you poke at something enough, it's bound to bleed. Maybe he should stop poking. But what if something was really, _really_ wrong?

"_Ugh. I hate worrying."_ He thought to himself, watching Maya from across the room. He was still trying his hardest to figure her out and he was willing to admit he had no clue what was going on. For all respective purposes, Maya seemed normal. It was like the incident at Hazakurain never even happened. She appeared to be getting up at regular hours again, she was back to laughing at his terrible attempts at jokes and had even returned to giving him a hard time about his own bad habits. But something… something wasn't quite right.

She sat at her desk, poring over some huge, ancient looking book. She chewed thoughtfully on the end of her pen, every so often getting her "idea face" and scribbling something down in the notebook in front of her. She'd barely put those books down in the last few days. She was up before Phoenix, and went to bed after him. Looking at his watch, Phoenix saw that it was getting close to dinner. An idea began forming in his head. He knew exactly how to get her attention.

Getting up from the couch, he made his way over to Maya's desk. He picked up the chair that sat on the opposite side to where she sat, turned it around backwards and straddled it casually. He leaned across the back of the chair and watched her work, smirking to himself. Surely she would get annoyed with him staring at her soon. He wondered how long it would take him to break her concentration. He chuckled to himself. He knew he was being childish, but he was bored. And Maya was no fun right now. If someone like Edgeworth had of walked in to the office at that moment, the sheer absurdity of their role reversal probably would have blown his mind.

About thirty seconds had passed, and Phoenix was slightly annoyed to discover that Maya hadn't taken any notice of him at all.

"Maaaa-yaaaa…" he said, almost musically.

"Hmm?" she responded, not looking up from her book.

"It's dinner time." He continued in the same tone of voice.

"Mmm hmm." She acknowledged.

"Aren't you hungry?" he asked her.

"Mmm." She said, still absorbed in her reading material. "Not really." She answered.

Phoenix's eyes widened. Maya…wasn't…hungry? That just…it didn't compute!

"_Something is VERY wrong here."_ Phoenix thought to himself. He would have to up the ante.

"We can get burgers… My treat…" he said in his best persuasive tone.

"Hmm." Maya mumbled. "Maybe later."

All Phoenix could do was stare at her. Did she really just say that? Eventually, Maya looked up from scribbling notes, finally looking at the dumbstruck man sitting across from her.

"Something wrong?" she asked him with a small smile. "You're staring at me."

Phoenix eyed her doubtfully.

"Since when are you not hungry?" he questioned, raising an eyebrow. She shrugged.

"Since right now. I'm kinda absorbed in my work."

"That's never stopped you before. Remember that time you asked me if we could get a court recess so you could eat?"

"I don't remember that," she said with a small frown.

"Figures. Selective memory." Phoenix said grinning and rolling his eyes. "Whether you remember it or not, it _did_ happen and it does prove my point that food is usually your number one priority."

Phoenix stood, and motioned for her to do the same.

"So come on. Let's go. Burgers await."

Maya sighed and put her pen down. "I'm really busy right now Nick. I wanted to get through the next three chapters before bed. If I stick to my schedule I'll get it done, but if I run off for burgers…" Maya said, trailing off.

Phoenix's shoulders slumped as he let out an exaggerated groan.

"Fine…" he said, throwing his hands in the air with mock devastation. "We can both just starve."

"I'm not really that hungry anyway, Nick." Maya said.

"Well, I'll starve then." Phoenix said dramatically, heading back towards the couch.

"You can go get something." Maya suggested.

"And be the sad guy at the burger joint eating his double beef all by his lonesome? No thanks." Phoenix said, flopping down on the couch. He heard Maya giggle slightly, before once again, the faint scratches of her pen on paper travelled to his ears. He picked up the TV remote and switched it on.

"_Mission: failure."_ He thought dismally to himself as he flicked aimlessly through the channels.

* * *

*grumble*

Phoenix's eyes snapped open.

*grumble*

He sat up, glancing downward to give his noisy stomach the evil eye and then looked over at the clock. 2.42. His stomach had apparently decided to stage an early morning protest at the previous night's lack of dinner. He groaned. It felt like he had only _just_ fallen asleep. However, he was happy to note that his sleeping patterns had shown slight improvements in the last few days. He ignored the fact that it was probably due to admitting to himself that he did at _least_ find Maya kinda cute. Unfortunately though, he was still quite a ways off from the patented 'Phoenix Wright impenetrable wall of slumber'.

Nothing much had happened after he had tried to get Maya to stop reading and go out with him to eat. He had ended up watching TV for most of the night before giving up on getting her to do anything other than read, admitting defeat and finally going to bed. But now, he was awake again and really needed to put something in his empty stomach.

Phoenix rolled ungracefully out of bed, leaving his bedroom and ambling down the hallway. He didn't bother with a shirt. His pyjama pants were fine, and Maya would be asleep anyway. He yawned loudly as he approached the refrigerator, cringing at the bright light once he opened the door. He scanned the contents, eventually locating a pudding. Grabbing a spoon and quickly devouring the contents, he threw the tub in the bin and went to head back to his bedroom, but froze when he noticed light still coming from the office downstairs.

"_You have got to be kidding me."_ He thought, suddenly finding himself much more awake. _"She couldn't possibly be…she must have just forgotten to switch off the lamp."_

Phoenix took a few steps up the hallway, and quietly opened the door to Maya's room. Her bed was empty and still made. Frowning, he turned around and headed down the stairs to the office.

"Doesn't she realise she needs her sleep?" he grumbled to himself, annoyed. "She's going to burn herself out if she keeps up these crazy habits."

He prepared himself to give Maya a lecture about pushing herself too hard, but all his anger and annoyance seemed to melt away when he actually laid eyes on the young woman, fast asleep at her desk, pen still in hand.

With a small sigh he walked over to the desk and switched off the lamp. He gently removed the pen from Maya's grip, making the decision then and there not to wake her. If he did, she would probably want to keep studying. With very little effort, he scooped the sleeping girl up into his arms. Maya was practically as light as a feather, even despite the fact that she was sleeping. He shifted her body so she was sitting comfortably, her head resting against his shoulder. As he carried her up the stairs, her head lolled forward slightly, her lips brushing over his neck. Phoenix felt a jolt of electricity run through him at the unexpected contact, but was thankful that his jerky movements didn't wake her. He closed his eyes for a moment, took a deep breath for composure then continued on to her bedroom.

Ever so gently, he laid Maya down on her bed. She snuggled slightly into the pillow, but did not stir. Carefully, he undid the bulky magatama amulet she wore around her neck and placed it on the night stand. He picked up one of the large, round baubles she used to tie her hair. Surely it would be uncomfortable if she rolled over on to one of these during the night. He slid the ball down, until it was free of her hair, placing it on the night stand with the magatama and then repeat the process with the second one. He let the soft strands of her hair fall between his fingers.

"_Soft."_ He thought, almost in a dream like state. _"Like silk."_

He stood there for a while, watching her sleep. Her face was peaceful. Without thinking, he reached out and gently ran his fingertips across her cheek. The little voice inside his head that usually panicked and said _"What are you doing?"_ was seeming quieter and quieter. He knew he should go back to his own bedroom, but he just couldn't will himself to move. He just wanted to stay there. He wanted to watch her sleep.

Suddenly, Maya rolled on to her side, her sudden movement snapping Phoenix back to reality. She was still very much asleep, but the scenario where he had to explain to Maya why he was standing over her, shirtless, watching her as she slept didn't seem like it would be a fun exercise. He couldn't think of any explanation that didn't sound totally creepy. He picked up a blanket from the foot of her bed and covered her with it, and headed towards the door. He paused in the doorway, glancing back one last time at her sleeping form. He smiled pathetically and shook his head before heading back to his own room for the remainder of the night.

As he lay back down in his own bed, Phoenix decided it was in his best interest to stop thinking about his feelings for Maya. He was just going to go with the flow, no matter how uncharacteristic that might be. Being completely laid back… he knew he had it in him somewhere. He imagined himself in the future as a super suave, level headed lawyer who had all the answers. He chuckled lightly to himself. It sure beat the 'fly by the seat of his pants' 'winging it in at the last moment' kind of guy that the world had come to associate with Phoenix Wright.

If he didn't think about these new feelings, didn't analyse them with his usual vigour, then he wouldn't have to deal with them. Deep down, he knew the truth, but until he admitted that truth, it didn't exist.

"_Moving on…"_ he thought to himself, already getting in the swing of his new method of denial.

What seemed to be a more pressing matter, anyway, was Maya's inability to slow down with her training and studying. Phoenix decided that he needed to get to the bottom of it. He had to convince her that she was pushing herself way too hard. He had to get her to talk about her mother, about how she was feeling. He had no idea how, but he had to try. If she would listen to anyone at all, it would be him… right?

* * *

The next morning, Phoenix sat at the breakfast table, sipping at his coffee and reading the newspaper when Maya entered the kitchen, hair still tousled from sleep. She brought a hand to her mouth to stifle a yawn, pulling out a chair and sitting down.

"Morning." Phoenix said.

"Mhhmn. Morning." she replied, pouring herself a glass of orange juice.

"What time did you get to bed?" Phoenix asked her, lowering his paper. He knew full well what time she went to bed. _And_ how she got there. But she didn't know that.

"I have no idea." she said, blearily. "I don't even remember going to bed."

Phoenix stifled his smirk.

"But I had the weirdest dream." she continued, a puzzled look on her face. "All I can remember is feeling like I was floating. And I swear I could smell pudding."

Phoenix almost spat out his coffee.

* * *

**A/N: LOL I thought that last bit was funny.**


	7. The Source

**A/N: Not much happening in this chapter, but sometimes chapters like this are necessary for the story. I'll have another one up soon!**

* * *

Phoenix leaned idly against the wooden railing, looking out over the winding way. It was late in the afternoon and the sun was beginning its daily descent, painting the scenery in pretty orange colours. Maya was very lucky to have grown up somewhere so beautiful, Phoenix thought to himself. He had been accustomed to cramped apartment conditions for pretty much his whole life. The space to run and play would have been wonderful as a child. It was probably why Maya found it so easy to retain that child-like quality of hers, and why Pearl was such a happy kid. It was so peaceful here.

Still, certain things reminded him of unpleasant situations. The incinerator in the corner made him think about the time Maya was accused of killing Dr Gray. The sacred urn on the stand just behind him made him think of the guilt he had felt for taking on Ron Delite's case, considering he was accused of stealing that very object. Pearl didn't understand…but Maya... Maya trusted him. Maybe that one wasn't such an unpleasant memory after all.

He imagined Maya and Mia running down this very walkway as children, and a sad smile formed on his lips.

…Mia.

He couldn't believe she had been gone almost three years now. It felt like only yesterday that she took him under her wing and taught him everything he knew about law, and life. He missed her terribly, but Phoenix was beginning to understand that everything had its reasons for happening. Mia was like his guardian angel. She led him down the path to the career he was meant to have and mentored him as he grew. After her death, she helped him in times of great need, always knowing exactly what to say to trigger Phoenix in to some form of decisive action. But the one thing Mia had brought to him that sat first and foremost in his mind was the most important thing he could think of right now.

Maya.

If Mia had lived, he didn't doubt that he would have met Maya eventually, probably in passing. But the bond that began growing after Mia's death likely would have never occurred. To him, she would still just be 'Mia's little sister', instead of… whatever she was to him now.

Looking back, he found it funny how his life just seemed to tie together in to some neat little package. Dahlia, Iris, Mia, Maya, Pearl, Morgan, Misty… these women, all of the same blood, all had a profound effect on his life in one way or another. Why did it seem that wherever there was any trouble concerning the Fey females, that Phoenix Wright's name would be attached somehow? As painful as it had been for all of them, that last case had made him feel like he was able to find closure on many aspects of his life. But letting go of Dahlia's betrayal and even letting go of Mia as a means of support only emphasized the question mark hanging over Maya's head. He had no intentions of 'moving on' from her. He couldn't leave her behind, just as he had the others. He was kidding himself if he thought he could close the book on that chapter of his life. There was so much to still be written.

A small commotion and a squeal of delight caught Phoenix's attention and he turned to face the noise just in time to see Pearl come dashing over, hugging him tightly around the legs.

"Mr. Nick!" she exclaimed excitedly. "I'm so happy to see you!"

Phoenix chuckled.

"I'm happy to see you too, Pearls. I'm real sorry I couldn't see you off last week." He said, patting the young girl gently on the head. She released him from her hug and grinned up at him.

"That's okay Mr. Nick. Mystic Maya took me for a lovely picnic. We had a great time. Besides, I know you were doing your best to help Sister Iris. Mystic Maya told me so. She even said she wasn't jealous either, but I don't think she was telling the truth." Pearl finished with a cheeky smile.

"Is that so, Pearls…?" Phoenix asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yep. I asked her." Pearl said with a definitive nod. "It's so romantic the way she misses you."

Pearl clasped her hands together as she spoke, a dreamy look on her face. Phoenix laughed softly at the little girl and her fairytale delusions, but he couldn't help but wonder if (or was that hope?) that there was some truth to her observations about Maya when he wasn't around. He was about to ask her more when a male voice from behind him interrupted their conversation.

"Mystic Pearl. That's hardly the refined manner in which we have been instructed to greet our guests here in Kurain. Dare I say that time away has done nothing for your manners." The voice chided.

Pearl turned around to face the owner of the voice. Phoenix saw what looked to be a boy of about seventeen with dark hair and eyes and a rather sophisticated air. He held his head proudly and his posture was perfect. Phoenix was a little surprised. This was the first time he had actually encountered another male in Kurain. If he didn't know better, he would have wondered if this boy was Pearls brother. His mannerisms reminded him very much of Morgan.

"_Although,"_ he thought. "_I guess it's not completely impossible, given what we know about Morgan and her twins…"_ He looked down at Pearl and immediately felt bad for thinking _those_ kinds of things about her mother. Morgan was guilty of many things, but that part of her life was none of his business anyway.

"Don't be so stuffy, Andre!" Pearl said happily, obviously unaffected by his displeasure. "This isn't a guest, it's Mr. Nick!"

"_Gee. Thanks Pearl."_ Phoenix thought flatly.

The boy, Andre it appeared his name was, gave Phoenix a rather condescending once over, looking him and up and down. Phoenix felt slightly perturbed. This kid was a lot like Morgan indeed. He couldn't shake the feeling that he had heard that name somewhere before.

"Phoenix Wright I presume," he said dryly.

"Correct." Phoenix said, extending his hand. "And you're Andre…right?"

Andre glanced down at Phoenix's hand but didn't bother offering his in return. He looked Phoenix in the face, his expression impassive. Awkwardly, Phoenix dropped his hand.

"We have spoken before." Andre said curtly.

Then Phoenix remembered. He had spoken to this kid last week the day Pearl had left.

"That's right. You came to pick up Pearl last week." Phoenix said.

Andre said nothing.

"Err…" Phoenix said, trying to think of something to say to break the suffocating silence that had appeared with Andre's arrival. "Do you know how much longer Maya will be?" he asked.

Andre crossed his arms. "_Mystic_ Maya is in a very important meeting with the Elders." He stated. "I do not know the extent of, or the duration of their discussions, but I do expect it to be rather lengthy. Mystic Maya has missed a lot during her absence, which if you ask me, is hardly befitting of someone in her prestigious position."

"_Well I don't believe I did ask you."_ Phoenix thought to himself. He narrowed his eyes at the boy. Apart from passive-aggressively reminding Phoenix of Maya's title or rather, his lack of attaching it to her name, Andre was also suggesting that Maya wasn't good enough to be Kurain Master, even if it was in a very sly manner.

"However, I am glad she has returned and can begin to rectify the neglect she has shown her village." Andre continued. Phoenix couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"Excuse me?" Phoenix asked incredulously.

Andre stood defiant.

"You must understand, Mr. Wright, that the people of this village have had to make do without a proper leader for quite some time now. First we were abandoned by Mystic Misty and then Mystic Mia failed to fulfill her duties. You can understand how we are all rather anxious to see Mystic Maya fall into line as she should. Her association with you was a great worry to the Elders, as Kurain and 'the law' have a somewhat checkered past. Lawyers seem to have an uncanny knack of making our masters disappear." Andre finished coldly.

Phoenix felt himself getting very angry. He looked down at Pearl, who seemed oblivious to what Andre was saying. Phoenix didn't want her to hear him lose his temper.

"Pearls?" he asked the girl sweetly. "Can you do me a favor and go double check that you've packed everything? I wouldn't want you to forget something important."

"Good idea Mr. Nick!" Pearl said enthusiastically, before skipping off to re-check her luggage. Phoenix turned his attention back to Andre, glaring at him. Andre's expression remained unchanged. Still as conceited as ever.

"Can you even hear yourself?" Phoenix snapped at him.

"Is it so wrong for me to take pride in my village? In my people?" Andre asked. "Someone around here has to make up for the sense of honor our master fails to provide."

"You arrogant little…" Phoenix seethed.

"Mr. Wright…" Andre interrupted, smiling sardonically at Phoenix. "I care very little for what someone like _you_ may think of me. It does not matter to me in the slightest whether you think I am right or wrong."

"This isn't about being right or wrong!" Phoenix argued. "You can't treat Maya like she's some sort of object. She's a human being. You don't own her!"

"Your concern for her is touching, Mr. Wright." Andre said sarcastically. "But I am afraid you are wrong. Mystic Maya is bound by her obligation to this village. Kurain does, in fact, own her. She owes it to us, her people, to lead to the best of her ability. Thus far, she has failed us. By running around after you, I might add." He paused, looking at Phoenix distastefully.

"Now that she is home, you'd best forget about her, Phoenix Wright. Maya Fey is not your concern."

Phoenix clenched his fists at his sides, trying his best to remain calm.

"Don't you understand that it's been less than two weeks since her mother was murdered? Anyone can see she needs time to grieve!" Phoenix said angrily.

"She needs nothing of the sort." Andre replied. "Her position demands strength, poise and composure. Such displays of weakness would be frowned upon by the Elders. Mystic Misty's passing was indeed regrettable, but it has been many years since she abandoned her position as Master. Kurain does not have time to grieve for those that desert it."

"You're absolutely heartless." Phoenix said. "It's all about the prestigious title. You sound just like Morgan."

Andre flinched ever so slightly at the mention of Morgan Fey and the miniscule action was not lost on Phoenix at all. Andre's expression steeled further as he lifted his nose in the air haughtily.

"Mystic Morgan was an exemplary woman who cared greatly for her village. The only crime she is guilty of in my opinion is doing everything in her power to ensure the prosperous future of Kurain. She would have made a noble leader."

Morgan? Noble? Exemplary? Was this kid high?

"Morgan tried to have Maya killed!" Phoenix cried.

"Sometimes, sacrifices are necessary." Andre said emotionlessly.

The tiny shred of control that Phoenix had over himself disappeared the moment Andre uttered those words. He lunged towards him, grabbing roughly by the collar of his shirt. Phoenix stared at him, wild-eyed and breathing heavily. Andre seemed unaffected by his outburst, despite the fact he was being physically threatened. But his impassive expression only made Phoenix angrier.

"Morgan knew she was not fit to lead us." Andre said quietly in an acidic tone.

Phoenix threw him to the floor.

"Get out of my sight." Phoenix seethed, turning his back on the boy. He thought for a moment before speaking again.

"Your mother knew nothing of the compassion and integrity required of a true leader. Maya has that tenfold."

Andre picked himself up off the ground and dusted off his clothes. He said nothing to deny Phoenix's assumption of his parentage, which to Phoenix spoke volumes. His composure was steadily returning once he realized he had gained the upper hand. Phoenix turned around to face him once more.

"And also," Phoenix said calmly. "Maya will not be staying. She is leaving with me again as soon as her meeting is over."

Andre shot him a filthy look.

"She can't run from her duty forever." Andre snapped before turning and striding away.

Once Andre was out of sight, Phoenix allowed his shoulders to slump, letting out a huge exasperated sigh. So it appeared that Morgan had a son. He shook his head in disbelief. He assumed Maya had no idea. She would have been way too young to remember Andre being born. His mannerisms, features and complete loyalty to Morgan were more than enough to convince Phoenix that his theory was correct. He doubted that Andre had the murderous intent that Morgan herself harbored and had passed on to Dahlia, but his opinions on what was expected of a leader were still quite confronting and potentially damaging to someone as loyal as Maya. She would do anything to make people happy, even sacrificing herself just like Andre had believed was her duty.

Something clicked in Phoenix's mind. Andre was the one who picked up Pearl last week… that was the exact day before Maya's behavior changed. It made sense. Anger started to take over again. He must have filled her head with all that garbage, making her think that she wasn't good enough. He was the cause of this!

"_Oh, Maya."_ Phoenix thought. _"She would have been so fragile from the Hazakurain trial that she would have listened to every word he said."_

His heart lurched as he thought about how Maya must have felt, what had driven her to spend every free moment trying to become the person they expected her to be.

"_How can they do this to her?_ _Her own family_?"

And he hadn't been there for her. He felt awful. He was so busy trying to distract himself from his feelings for Maya that he hadn't been there when she needed him. He didn't want her to suffer anymore. He wanted to take her away from here. They could grab Pearl, leave Kurain and never look back. Maya didn't deserve a life like this. He wouldn't allow it.

A soft hand on his back made Phoenix jump. He spun around, relieved and happy to see that it was Maya standing behind him. She eyed him quizzically, noticing his brooding expression.

"You okay?" she asked.

"Yeah," he said with a sigh. "I just had the pleasure of meeting Andre, that's all."

"Ugh." Maya said, doing nothing to hide her displeasure at Phoenix's mention of her cousin's name. "What a stuck up jerk."

"That works." Phoenix agreed. "I can also think of a few other flattering words to describe him."

Maya giggled at him.

"Don't get me started," she said with a smile. "Try growing up with him."

She grinned then and grabbed Phoenix by the hand, dragging him towards the main house.

"But c'mon Nick!" she cried excitedly. "We've only got fifteen minutes to make it to the train station and we've still got to find Pearl _and_ grab our luggage. If we miss this one there won't be another train until tomorrow morning!"

"Wait, aren't you going to tell me about your meeting?" Phoenix asked, stopping.

"Later!" she cried, dragging him off again. "No time! We gotta hurry!"

Phoenix allowed Maya to drag him off once more, but decided that once they were on that train, he was going to ask her about her meeting with the Elders _and_ her encounter with Andre Fey.

* * *

**A/N: Andre is SUCH a dick.**


	8. Help Me Understand

**A/N. Thank you to all my new reviewers and subscribers!**

**sonicandlink: Awesome, you're supposed to hate him! My job here is done! XD**

**iryna: You review every chapter, thanks so much 3**

**BlueRaider: Thanks for reviewing. I'm glad you were able to understand Phoenix's emotions. Sometimes the story moves a little slow at times, but I'm really trying to capture the atmosphere and how my characters are feeling.**

**Pokeinny: LOL Thats certainly very original and violent. I love it! Thank you, I'm glad you like my story.**

**Now on to the next chappy!**

* * *

Thankfully, the trio of travelers made it to the station with moments to spare. A kindly station guard found it in his heart to stall the departure of the train for a few seconds longer when he saw Phoenix with an armful of luggage and Maya with an armful of Pearl running towards him. Phoenix smiled and thanked him as they boarded the train. He tipped his hat in response and the train lurched into motion as the three of them made their way to their seats.

Phoenix sat closest to the window, with Maya next to him. Pearl settled herself on Maya's lap, pulling out a picture book from her little back pack. Phoenix peered over at the title, hoping desperately that it wasn't one of Elise Deauxnim's books. They had been Pearl's favorite. Pearl probably wouldn't even realize, but Phoenix worried that something like that might strike a bit close to home for Maya right now. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that it wasn't one of Misty's books.

The sun had set a while ago, and the last traces of orange and purple filled the sky as an evening chill started to set in. He was glad Maya and Pearl had both thought to wear coats, otherwise they would have been freezing. The train stopped to allow new passengers to join, and a sweet looking elderly woman boarded their carriage. She took the seat directly facing Phoenix and Maya, nodding politely at Phoenix, before pulling out some knitting.

Phoenix leaned his back against the window, shifting his body slightly so he was half facing Maya and Pearl. He smiled as he watched Maya trying to teach Pearl how to sound out words. Maya was so patient with her. Pearl's little face was a picture of concentration as she attempted to read the book in front of her. She frowned as the broken syllables came from her mouth, immediately looking up hopefully at Maya for some sort of indication that she was correct. Maya would either congratulate her on her answer, or gently sound the word out the correct way. More often than not, Pearl was getting the words right. Her reading was improving drastically. Maya spent a lot of time with her.

Phoenix was touched by the expression of pride on Maya's face when she looked down at that little girl, trying her hardest with that book. Phoenix shared her feelings. The two of them had become her makeshift parents, in a way. Strangely enough, that really didn't bother him. Their little family might look strange, but he knew he could depend on it.

It wasn't long before Pearl started to yawn and rub at her eyes. She didn't protest too much when Maya told her it was time to put the book away. She settled herself comfortably against Maya's shoulder, and was asleep within minutes.

Phoenix watched Maya as she stared ahead peacefully. She didn't look like she was thinking about anything in particular. He racked his brain for a way to broach the subject of Andre, and Maya's meeting, without spoiling the peaceful mood that had surrounded them on the journey so far.

Maya turned, noticing Phoenix watching her. She must have been able to read the expression on his face, knowing somehow that a question she wouldn't want to answer was seconds away from leaving his lips. Quickly, she thought of the first thing that came to mind.

"Nick, can you take Pearl for a minute? I need to use the bathroom." She asked.

"We're on a train, Maya." He said, puzzled.

"Long distance trains always have bathrooms, Nick." She said, matter-of-factly. "It's bound to be up near the lunch car somewhere."

Phoenix shrugged in agreement and helped Maya shift Pearl from her lap to his. He settled the girl comfortably, peering down at her angelic little face. Nothing would wake her right now.

"I'll just be a few minutes." Maya said, before heading towards the door that connected the carriages. Phoenix nodded as she left. The minutes ticked by. The steady movement of the train was almost lulling Phoenix to sleep. He stretched and yawned lightly, looking down at Pearl to make sure his movements hadn't woken her. He glanced over at the elderly woman across from him. She was watching Pearl with a wistful smile. She looked up at Phoenix and smiled once she felt his eyes on her, putting her knitting down on her lap.

"I'm off to visit my granddaughter." She said. Phoenix nodded politely and smiled. "Your little one looks just like my Abbey." She finished, smiling sweetly at the sleeping girl.

"Oh no, she's not…" Phoenix said, correcting the woman.

"Oh dear," she said, bringing a hand to her heart in embarrassment. "I'm sorry, I just assumed… You look like such a lovely little family."

Phoenix nodded understandingly.

"I guess we would appear that way." He sighed. The woman smiled. The train pulled gently to a stop and the woman began gathering her things.

"Well, this is my stop." She said, standing. "You have a safe trip, young man."

"Thanks," Phoenix said. "You too. I hope your granddaughter is well."

The woman beamed. It was obvious that the little girl that Pearl had reminded her of was the light of her life.

"You take care of those two beautiful ladies." She said with a wink. Phoenix chuckled. The woman turned and headed for the door.

"_I plan to. You can count on that."_ Phoenix thought to himself as the doors closed and the train began moving once more.

* * *

About ten minutes passed after the old woman had left when Maya returned, handing Phoenix a small bottle of juice as she sat down.

"I passed the lunch carriage on my way through." She explained. "They were still open! Thought you might be thirsty."

Phoenix opened the bottle and took a sip as Maya settled herself back in her seat. She reached down to the travel bag by her feet and took out a book and a notepad, flipping it open to a page she had bookmarked. Phoenix read the title.

'The Principles of the Spirit Connection'.

He shot Maya a disapproving look.

"Oh, sorry Nick." She said apologetically. "Did you want me to take Pearl off you? She can get pretty heavy after a while…"

Phoenix shook his head.

"Pearl is fine." He said, slightly annoyed. "But are you going to study for the rest of the trip as well?"

Maya bit her lip. Phoenix's glare made her nervous.

"You assume I'm studying, but I could just be reading it to pass the time, you know. I _am_ interested in this stuff. It's not all work." She said quietly.

"If you were just reading, you wouldn't be taking notes." He said, motioning to the notepad that sat on her lap. "Besides, aren't I entertaining enough to talk to? You need to pass the time with a book…" Phoenix finished huffily.

"Nick, I didn't mean…" Maya trailed off.

"So you _are_ studying then." Phoenix stated.

Maya sighed. She didn't have an answer that he would like. Her eyes pleaded with him to drop it, but he wasn't going to this time.

"Maya, can I ask you something?"

"If I said no, you'd ask anyway, right?" she countered.

"Probably." He agreed.

"Then go ahead." Maya urged, dreading the questions that were coming.

"Did Andre say anything to you? When he came to pick up Pearl, I mean…" Phoenix asked, watching Maya's expression carefully.

"What makes you think that?" she replied, a little too quickly.

"Well… He had a few rather interesting opinions on what was required of the Kurain Master that he chose to share with me today. I know you saw him last week… and the very next day you went to the library, borrowed out their entire spiritual section and haven't stopped working since. Just putting two and two together…" he explained.

Maya looked away, finding something uninteresting to stare at on the floor.

"You know how I feel about him." Maya said with a fake sounding laugh. She still wouldn't look Phoenix in the eye. "Why would I care what he thinks?"

"Because everything he's saying sounds just like what Morgan would say."

The mention of her aunt's name caught Maya by surprise and she snapped her head around to look at Phoenix.

"Come to think of it," Phoenix continued, "doesn't he remind you a lot of Morgan? In a lot of ways?"

Maya's eyes widened as she realized what he was getting at.

"You don't think…?" she gasped, bringing a hand to her lips in disbelief. "It couldn't be…"

"Just a theory." Phoenix said casually. "But that's not important. We're talking about you here. No changing the subject."

Maya was silent once more. She chewed on her lip nervously.

"_Damn!"_ Maya thought to herself. _"So close to veering him off topic…"_

"I'll take that as a yes." Phoenix said, more to himself than Maya. "I knew I should have punched him."

"You nearly punched him?" Maya asked, surprised.

"I gave him a little shove." Phoenix shrugged. "You can't tell me he didn't deserve it."

Maya nodded, absorbing the information. Phoenix wasn't done with his questions yet.

"What happened in the meeting?"

Maya's shoulders slumped.

"Nick, I really don't want to talk about it." She said softly, once again avoiding his gaze.

"Tough luck, kiddo." Phoenix said resolutely. "We are."

She turned to face him, exasperated.

"What do you want to hear, Nick? How is me telling you about it going to make me feel better. How is it going to change what they said?" she said seriously.

Phoenix remained stoic.

"It's got to be a lot healthier than bottling everything up and convincing yourself that _you_ are the problem and not their stupid ideals." He said.

"Those 'stupid ideals' are my family traditions, Nick." Maya argued.

"Well, they're stupid family traditions." He argued back. "Let me guess. The Elders told you that you weren't doing a good enough job and that you had to come back to Kurain."

Maya sighed with frustration. Phoenix was infuriating when he was right.

"And you," he continued. "Listened to every word they said, apologized profusely and planned to work harder to please them."

"My Magatama must sure come in handy…" Maya remarked off-handedly.

Phoenix scoffed lightly.

"You read like a book, Maya." He said. "I wouldn't even need to get it out."

His expression softened and his tone of voice changed as he shook his head lightly.

"I'd never use the Magatama on you anyway, Maya."

Maya wasn't sure what it was, the tone of his voice, the expression on his face or the admission of trust, but that sentence sent shivers down her spine. She felt a blush creep across her cheeks and quickly looked away.

"You're stronger than that, Maya. You're letting yourself get pushed around. I know who you really are, and this version of you is… well… disappointing to see."

"You don't understand." She whispered.

"Then help me understand." He whispered back, urging her to meet his gaze.

She couldn't.

"I can't." she said quietly.

Phoenix let out a large sigh, sounding irritated. Maya flinched at the sound. She said nothing as she looked down at her book, reluctantly closing it and putting it back in her bag.

"Happy?" she croaked, trying her best to hold back tears that were threatening to fall.

"No." Phoenix said simply. "Are you?"

She looked away, knowing that she would indeed start to cry if she looked at his intense expression a moment longer. He looked away too, turning towards the window, staring out into the darkness as the train sped through.

"_Not at all…"_ she thought to herself, sadly.

The rest of the trip was spent in silence.

* * *

**A/N: *waaaaah* angst :(**


	9. The Simplest Truth

**A/N: Holy cow it's another update. I can't be stopped! Yahhh! XD This chapter is the longest one I have written. I wrote this after chapter 6 to help break my writers block, so it's been finished a while. Hope theres no continuity errors!  
**

**Sonicandlink: You're actually the second person to suggest that to me...hahaha!**

* * *

It was late in the evening by the time the weary trio reached Hazakurain. Regardless, both Sister Bikini and Iris were eagerly awaiting their arrival, braving the cold weather down by the main gate.

Maya watched Iris greet Phoenix with an emotional hug and dazzling smile. Phoenix smiled back sheepishly, placing a hand at the back of his head as he often did when he was embarrassed. She studied Iris's face as she batted her long lashes.

"_How could I ever compete with someone like that? She's gorgeous..."_ Maya thought sadly to herself, trudging along behind the pair who were now chatting happily.

An audible growl from Maya's stomach made everyone stop and giggle.

"_Awesome, Maya."_ She thought sarcastically. _"Could you be any more sophisticated right now?"_

Embarrassment aside, she was relieved to hear that her hosts had prepared a hot meal of beef stew in expectation of their guests being hungry and tired after making the long trip. After taking their luggage to their rooms, they were led to the main hall where dinner awaited them.

They ate in silence. Pearl was far too exhausted for her usual chit chat, and Maya still wanted to avoid any more of Phoenix's questions. She decided keeping quiet was probably the best way to make sure they didn't repeat the exchange from the train trip. Maybe if he thought she was tired, he would let things be.

Pearl and Maya both finished their food quickly, while a distracted Phoenix appeared to be picking at his food. Maya excused herself in order to put Pearl to bed, while Phoenix remained at the small table.

Before long, Bikini entered the room and began cleaning up the plates.

"Mr Wright," she said happily. "I really can't thank you enough for everything you have done for my Iris."

"It was nothing." Phoenix said, wiping his mouth with a napkin. "Just doing my job."

"Nonsense! You went above and beyond the call of duty if you ask me." Bikini said as she continued to gather up Maya and Pearl's empty plates. "I must say, I was surprised that you wanted to visit again so soon. But I am glad. It's so nice to have visitors here." She chirped happily.

Phoenix nodded. She wasn't the only one. He felt pretty clueless about the whole deal as well. He frowned, wondering again why Maya was so insistent on their trip. The faint sounds of a bell could be heard, ringing off in the distance.

"My goodness! Is that the time!" Bikini exclaimed. If you'll excuse me, Mr Wright, I have much to do! I still have many things to prepare seeing as Mystic Maya has requested to take the Special Course again during her visit! Ho ho!"

"She what?" Phoenix said, slamming his hand down on the table, a lot harder than either of them were expecting. Bikini immediately ceased her signature chuckle and looked a little startled. Despite the rather intimidating glare on his face, Phoenix was a little startled himself.

"Well..." Bikini started, nervously bringing a hand up to fidget with her hood. "She phoned a few days ago...I didn't think it would be a problem...I..."

Phoenix closed his eyes and took a deep breath as she spoke.

"It's fine, Sister Bikini." Phoenix interrupted. "I'm very sorry for scaring you. I just... wasn't aware of Maya's plans."

Bikini nodded and wasted no time scurrying out of the room, leaving Phoenix behind. He felt terrible for glaring at her like he did; he had once again reacted without thinking. He could admit that he did that a lot when it came to Maya. He stood and made his way to the door, taking a left and heading down the corridor to where the guest rooms were. He needed to have words with a certain spirit medium.

* * *

Maya quietly slid the screen door to her room open, stepping through before closing it behind her. She had passed Phoenix's room on her way back after putting Pearl to bed, and saw no light coming from inside. She assumed he was either still at the main hall, or had already gone to sleep. If he had indeed gone to bed, then that meant he was still mad at her.

She turned around, only to find a familiar figure sitting in the window seat across the room, chin resting on his hands as his elbows rested on his knees. The pensive expression on his face only completed the picture; telling Maya he was not in a good mood.

"Jeez Nick!" she said, bringing a hand to her heart. "You scared the daylights out of me. What are you doing here?"

Phoenix sat up straight, bringing his hands to his knees.

"Bikini told me you're doing the special course." He said coolly.

Maya nodded slowly. Busted. "I figured since I'm here, why waste the opportunity?" she said nonchalantly, hoping her flippant attitude would rub off on Phoenix. No such luck.

Phoenix's jaw tensed. He looked away from her, glowering.

"Any reason why you chose not to tell me?" he asked bitterly. Maya placed a hand on her hip. She was beginning to feel slightly affronted by the way he was speaking to her.

"I'm so sorry Nick!" She said sarcastically. "I completely forgot I have to clear everything with you first."

"Don't be so ridiculous Maya," Phoenix responded, shaking his head at her immature response. "Why don't you see that it's too much? The piles of books, the constant studying, the meeting at Kurain and now this. It's got to stop Maya."

Maya crossed her arms, looking away indignantly.

"What's so wrong with me taking a little responsibility? Kurain Master isn't exactly an easy job, Nick. I had to grow up sometime and I have a lot to learn. A lot of people are going to rely on me you know." She said sternly.

"There's nothing wrong with that." Phoenix said. "But there IS something wrong with you pushing yourself so hard like this!" he finished, raising his voice.

"I know what I can handle, Nick. And I'm doing just fine!" Maya countered. Phoenix stood, raking a hand through his spikes in exasperation.

"No, you aren't." he stated. He stared at her disapprovingly. Maya threw her hands in the air. She was getting tired of this conversation.

"You don't know the first thing about how I'm feeling. You don't get it. I know you have this insatiable need to save everybody all the time, but we don't all need saving, Nick. I said I'm fine and I meant I am. Now drop it. Please!" Maya snapped.

Phoenix felt himself getting angry.

"So this is how you're dealing with it?" he snapped back. Maya grimaced. She knew what he was referring to. "She wouldn't want to see you like this, you know."

Maya sighed heavily. She was tired. She didn't want to fight anymore. Tears started to well up in her eyes.

"She was so great, Nick…" she said, blinking away some tears. "They all expect me to be just like her. To be better than her."

Phoenix sighed; this was the first time Maya had given him any indication of what was really going on.

"So you're just going to let them order you around?" he asked her. "You're going to agree with everything they say?"

"What else can I do?" she asked, annoyed. Phoenix shook his head.

"You're the Master of Kurain, Maya. Not the slave."

Maya scowled.

"My mother died protecting my future, Nick. The future of Kurain." She argued.

"No, Maya. Your mother died protecting YOU. Her daughter." Phoenix stated. "You're not ready for what they are pushing you into, and you know that."

"None of that matters, Nick. This is my burden. Whether I had years to prepare or not doesn't matter at all. You can't always argue your way out of things. Life isn't a courtroom, you know."  
She looked away from his piercing gaze.

"It's not always fair." Maya finished dejectedly, looking at the floor.

"So what, you're just giving up your life? Just because they said you have to?" Phoenix cried. He couldn't believe that Maya was resigning herself to what seemed like a lifetime of servitude. Maya huffed angrily. She just couldn't make him understand.

"Nick, just leave it okay? I don't get why you care so much! Why don't you trust me when I say I'll handle it?" she said resentfully. All Phoenix could do was stare at her.

"You don't get why I care?" he asked incredulously. "What kind of friend do you think I am?"

Maya said nothing, refusing to meet his eyes. "Please." She said quietly. "Just let me deal with it."

Phoenix was hurt. Angry and hurt.

"Why am I even bothering…?" he said, striding towards the door.

"Nick…wait…" Maya cried out weakly. She didn't want him to be mad at her anymore. But it was too late. Phoenix was gone.

* * *

Phoenix trudged briskly through the snow, his anger seeming to cool off with the help of the frigid air, but his frustration remaining. He couldn't understand how she would allow herself to be used in such a way, especially by her own family. He growled in annoyance as his steps took a familiar path. It wasn't long before he reached the rickety suspension bridge that led to the Inner Temple. He stood for a moment, eyeing Dusky Bridge warily as one would if they came across an old adversary. An overturned log sat close by, forming a bench of sorts about a metre and a half from the edge of the ravine. A torch burned brightly next to the bridge. Phoenix decided to sit for a while, and try to gather his thoughts.

He breathed out with a small huff, his breath visible against the cold Hazakurain night. But despite the chill factor and his lack of a jacket, he wasn't ready to go back to his room yet.

* * *

Maya sat for a while after Phoenix had stormed out with her knees drawn up to her chest, crying softly.

"_It's all my fault."_ She thought dismally. _"I shouldn't have yelled at him. He's just trying to protect me."_

"He's always trying to protect me." She admitted aloud to herself, her voice tinged with sadness.

She stood up and wiped the tears from her eyes, eyes scanning the room before she located her large jacket. Slipping it on, she quietly slid the screen door open, and headed out into the night. Phoenix couldn't have walked far. She would find him and apologise.

* * *

It wasn't long before Phoenix heard light footsteps crunching in the snow, getting progressively louder as their owner headed in his direction. He stared straight ahead, looking out over the bridge, as the person approaching him finally reached their destination, taking a seat beside him on the log. Phoenix turned, expecting to see Maya, but was surprised to discover someone completely different.

"Iris...?" Phoenix stared.

The woman in question gave him a small smile as she pulled her hood back, revealing her dark hair underneath.

"I heard you yelling before. I wanted to make sure you were alright." She said softly.

"You're not going to push me into the river, are you?" he said, eyeing her with fake suspicion. She shook her head and looked at the ground, a small smile on her lips.

"I can assure you. I _am_ Iris."

Phoenix shook his head, chuckling lightly.

"I know that." He said motioning to the hood she was wearing. She had told him that it protected her from evil spirits. Dahlia was a prime candidate for that title. "I'm sorry; it was a bad joke." He paused for a moment before continuing. "I seem to be really good at saying the wrong thing lately."

"I understand." Iris said. The pair sat in silence for a while, before Iris spoke again.

"Did you want to talk about it?" she asked.

"Not much to talk about." He shrugged, kicking idly at some snow near his foot. Iris seemed to accept his answer, and the quiet night surrounded them once more.

"Iris?" he asked eventually.

"Yes?"

"Have you ever wished things were completely different?"

She looked down, almost bitterly. His words struck a chord with her.

"Sometimes." She admitted.

Phoenix continued to stare out into the darkness.

"We've both been through a lot, haven't we?" he said, exhaling a breath he had been holding.

"We have." She agreed, although she knew the question was rhetorical. The flickering light from the nearby lantern cast Phoenix's face in shadows, making his expression unreadable.

"Who knows, Iris?" He murmured distantly. " In a different world, we might have actually had a shot, you and I."

Iris smiled sadly and let out a small sigh. She took one of his hands in hers, gently stroking her thumb over the back.

"Feenie..." she said softly.

He turned sharply to look at her, eyes wide. Her use of his old nickname made his heart lurch... although not in the way it used to. The name reminded him of things he no longer wanted to remember.

"...I'm flattered you would even consider that after everything I have done to you."

Phoenix turned his attention forward once more, as Iris's hold on his hand remained.

"You never asked to be born a twin, Iris."

"Regardless," she said, "I was."

"Besides," she added." I know I am not the one who holds your heart in their hands."

Phoenix scowled lightly. Just how badly did he wear his heart on his sleeve?

"So everyone keeps telling me..."

Iris brought her free hand up to pat Phoenix reassuringly on the back.

"I knew the moment I found out that you had tried to cross this bridge..."

Phoenix glared at the bridge. That large, unforgiving, inanimate object was proving to be his undoing.

"Forgive me," Iris said with a slight pause, unsure whether to continue or not."But I am afraid I did happen to overhear some of your argument with Mystic Maya..." Her voice was nervous. She hoped he wouldn't think that she had been eavesdropping.

"I'm not surprised." Phoenix said. "It did get kind of heated in there."

Iris's expression changed to one of concentration, and she blinked a few times before figuring out how to phrase what she wanted to say.

"I know...a lot about obligation...and a lot about how it feels to be manipulated..." she said painfully.

"Mystic Maya...she feels like she needs to sacrifice herself for her position, in the same way that her mother sacrificed her life. The Kurain Elders... they must realise she can be controlled right now...given everything that she has been through…" Iris continued.

"Mystic Maya is hurting because what she wants to do and what she _has_ to do are two completely different things."

Phoenix looked down at Iris, his heart wrenching at the sad expression on her face. He knew that a similar experience had left what would be a lifelong scar on the young woman.

"She doesn't need you to protect her right now. She just needs someone to understand." Iris said her voice barely above a whisper.

Phoenix said nothing, allowing himself a few moments to take in what Iris had said. She was probably one of the only people who were in a position to understand what Maya was going through. Letting go of his hand, Iris stood, and stepped over the log, pulling her hood back over her head.

"You should go back now, you'll catch a cold." She said, pausing as she took a few steps backward. She went to leave, but turned back to speak to Phoenix once more.

"You were always destined to be tangled up with the Fey women, Phoenix. I don't think that will ever change." She finished, turning and heading towards the main hall. Phoenix was once again left alone. He sat for a few moments longer before standing up and preparing to head back. As he walked the short distance to the main hall, he realised that Iris was right. And not just about the possibility of him catching a cold.

* * *

As the path Maya took turned towards Dusky Bridge she realised she had succeeded in locating Phoenix. But it appeared he wasn't alone. In the distance she could see Phoenix sitting on a log near the bridge, as Iris held his hand and stroked his back.

Tears started to well up in her eyes all over again, and her heart lurched painfully in her chest. She tried to ignore it, squeezing her eyes shut and repeating over and over in her head that it didn't bother her and that she was happy for them, but each time she did, she believed it less and less.

With a small cry she spun on her heels and ran back past the main hall, not slowing down until she was back inside her room. She closed the screen behind her, throwing off her jacket before moving towards the window seat that Phoenix had sat in earlier. Extinguishing the lantern on the small table as she walked by and grabbing a blanket from her futon, she sat in the darkness, watching the moon as its eerie blue light streamed through the window. She wrapped herself in the blanket and began to cry openly, no longer having the energy to hold back her tears.

* * *

Phoenix walked down the corridor that led to his room, pausing in from of Maya's door. He could see through the screen that the lantern inside the room had been extinguished. Maya was probably asleep. He turned to leave again, but his feet felt as if they were glued to the spot. He sighed. As much as he didn't want to wake her, he knew he wouldn't be able to sleep if he didn't apologise. Slowly, he nudged the screen open and slipped inside.

Maya, he discovered, wasn't asleep at all. She sat in the window seat, wrapped in a large blanket, staring out into the night. She turned sharply when she heard the floorboard creak as he walked, surprised to see him. Her lashes glinted in the moonlight; he could see she had been crying. But then her expression changed. Phoenix could have sworn his heart stopped beating.

He couldn't explain what he saw in her eyes then. He saw relief. He saw fear. He saw sadness mixed with happiness. He saw the last three years of his life and everything they had been through. But most of all, he could see how much she needed him.

He could see how much he needed her.

That look… He would remember it for the rest of his life. She had never looked so beautiful.

Transfixed by the beautiful creature before him, he walked silently to the window and sat next to her. A single tear trickled slowly down her face. Boldly, Phoenix lifted a hand to cup her cheek, wiping the tear away with his thumb. They stared at each other. He said nothing and neither did she. Words didn't seem like they fit. Maya's lip trembled, and finally, she let go of the anguish she had been bottling up inside.

This time, he was there for her.

He wrapped his arms around her, holding her close as she cried. Her head rested in the crook of his neck, and he could feel the moisture of her tears through the thin fabric of his shirt. They stayed that way for a long time, as Maya cried all the tears she needed to. Phoenix stroked her back as her sobs subsided, and before long she was silent. Thinking she had fallen asleep, Phoenix shifted slightly. He would carry her over to her futon so she could get some rest.

As Phoenix went to move, Maya looked up at him, their noses grazing each other. She clutched lightly at his shirt.

"Stay." She breathed. Phoenix nodded gently, a silent agreement, their foreheads touching. He didn't even need to think. He would have done anything she had asked.

He slid off his shoes and leaned back against the frame of the window seat, pulling Maya across his lap. He arranged the blanket so it covered the both of them and wrapped his arms around her waist as she rested her head on his shoulder. He would sleep here tonight.

It was then that the truth became abundantly clear. What he had felt for Dahlia Hawthorne was nothing more than a childish crush. Infatuation. But now he knew, and would finally admit to himself, that he was in love with Maya Fey.

* * *

**A/N: Bout time you figured it out lawyer boy! :P Useless!! XD**

**Oh, and this is NOT the end of the story. Heheh sorry if my definitive chapter ending confuzzled anyone!  
**


	10. The Princess and the Knight

**A/N: So many new reviewers and followers. Thank you so much guys!**

**I'm really sorry this chapter has taken so long, but I was super busy, then I got sick. No – It's not swine flu! **

**On the topic of Iris, I am aware she is totally OOC, but it is intentional. I think I made her smarter and more human. No offense to Iris fans, but she seemed like a pretty much 2D "Damsel in Distress" when I was playing the games. Booooooring! I needed her to be different for the sake of my story. Anywhoo, hope you guys like!!**

* * *

Iris looked up at the sky, happy to see nothing but brilliant blue overhead, not a cloud in sight. It was a nice break from the snow storms that had been plaguing them lately. In all truth she didn't really mind those either. Anything was better than her cold prison cell, even a blizzard. She hummed lightly to herself as she made her way towards the guest rooms in order to wake her guests for breakfast. She slid the door to Maya's room open and stepped inside. Opening her mouth to speak to the girl, she stopped short when she realised her bed was empty. Puzzled, Iris turned around to look for Maya, but didn't need to look far at all. Maya was snuggled under a blanket in the window seat. With Phoenix.

Iris raised her eyebrows in surprise, but decided not to wake them. She backed out of the guest room and closed the door softly. A small, bittersweet smile crept across her lips. She couldn't deny that what she had just witnessed stung a little, but her joy at seeing the both of them so blissfully content far outweighed any lingering feelings for Phoenix. She was happy Phoenix had taken her advice. She wanted him to be happy, and to follow his heart. This was a step in the right direction.

"Sister Iris!!"

Iris turned around just in time to see Pearl running up the walkway towards her with a huge grin on her little face. Iris crouched down in order to be at eye level with the small girl.

"Hello Mystic Pearl!" Iris said with a smile. "I was just coming to wake you."

"I've been up for aaaages Sister Iris!" Pearl responded. "I've been at the main hall with Sister Bikini. She said you're making pancakes. Can I help?" she pleaded.

"Of course you can," Iris said with a nod.

"Oh Good!" Pearl cried enthusiastically. "We have to wake Mystic Maya! She loves pancakes!"

Iris quickly decided that it would be a bad idea to let Pearl barge into Maya's room right now. It was quite possible that Pearl would get the wrong idea and start saying things that would make the two shy away from each other. She had to think fast. She grabbed the little girls hand before it reached the door.

"Mystic Maya has a big day today, Mystic Pearl. She's taking the special course. We should let her sleep in a little bit longer." Iris said, leading the girl back towards the main hall.

Pearl nodded, following Iris's lead.

"You're right Sister Iris!" Pearl agreed. "She needs her rest. But she wouldn't want to miss pancakes..."

"We'll come get her when the food is ready." Iris said reassuringly.

Pearl grinned, but stopped again, a serious expression on her face.

"I almost forgot about Mr. Nick!" she said. "We need to wake him too!"

Iris gulped.

"_Oops!"_ she thought to herself. _"I should have known better than to think that Pearl would miss a detail like that!"_

"He's already awake, Mystic Pearl." Iris fibbed. "I spoke to him about five minutes ago."

"That's good!" Pearl said happily. "Mr. Nick is grouchy when you wake him. I'm glad you didn't have to."

Iris smiled. Pearl was obviously speaking from experience.

"Maybe he's already at the main hall?" Pearl thought aloud.

"Let's go find out." Iris said, leading her away from the guest rooms. Inwardly, she shook her head at herself. Lying made her feel terrible, even over something so small.

"_How on Earth did Dahlia find it so easy to lie all the time?"_ she wondered as they walked.

* * *

Maya woke feeling comfortably warm and utterly content. She didn't open her eyes, nor did she move. She was afraid that any noise or movement from her would shatter this peaceful feeling. Or worse still, she would wake up and find herself alone, the victim of an elaborate dream. If she could stay still and quiet for now, then she could enjoy her contentment a little longer.

She took a breath in through her nose.

"_Nick smells nice."_ She thought to herself.

It wasn't just any particular aftershave or cologne either; Phoenix had a scent that was uniquely his. While there may have been a trace of some cologne in there, it was mixed with freshly laundered clothes, hair gel and something that smelled a little like cinnamon. The hair gel Maya could understand, but she had no idea where the cinnamon came from. But she knew she liked it. She snuggled against him and smiled to herself when his arms tightened around her waist.

She wondered if he was awake.

"_Hopefully not."_ She thought. She wasn't ready to face the real world just yet.

* * *

Unbeknownst to Maya, she wasn't the first to wake that morning. Phoenix had actually woken long before her, but had remained silent for pretty much the same reasons she had. He didn't want the night to end, but he was aware from the brightness he could sense through his closed eyelids that the night had ended quite some time ago. The morning sun was no doubt streaming through the window where they slept. He opened his eyes and after a few moments of adjusting to the glare, he could see clearly. The position of the sun in the sky told him that it was roughly around seven or eight o clock. He groaned inwardly. Someone would come looking for them soon. He didn't feel like explaining to anyone why he was in Maya's room, not even Maya, he mused. He had no idea how he would even begin.

He didn't know what last night meant. Would things be different between them? Would things be the same? Part of the reason he didn't want to wake up was that he was a little nervous about what to say. He knew without a doubt that he loved Maya, but he had no idea how she felt about him.

He knew she needed his friendship and support right now. Last night she had needed his shoulder to cry on. But what now? He wanted things to change between them, but at the same time, he didn't. Even though the source of them problem was clear to him, the whole thing was still really confusing.

Last night, she had cried all the tears that she had. Maybe now she understood that he wanted to help her, to be there for her. An idea began taking shape. He knew just how to make it perfectly clear.

With a small smile and a devilish plan, Phoenix closed his eyes again, relishing the warmth of the woman in his arms.

"_Just five more minutes..."_ he told himself. She snuggled against him and he tightened his grip around her waist. After the few minutes longer he had allowed himself were up, Phoenix stretched and yawned loudly, his action enough to stir Maya as well.

She placed a hand on his chest and pushed herself upward slightly. He chuckled at her tousled hair and unfocused expression.

"Morning." Phoenix said with a sleepy smile.

Maya smiled back, saying nothing. It took a few moments for her to register the proximity of their bodies. Their legs were entwined, their faces only inches apart and her hand rested on his chest. His arms were still firmly around her waist. She took a sharp intake of breath and a slight blush crept across her cheeks as she moved backwards, freeing herself from his grip. She smiled at him sheepishly. Phoenix laughed to himself. Having admitted his feelings for her made it a lot easier to remain calm in situations that normally would have had him sweating profusely and blushing like mad. There was no little voice to justify himself to anymore. Everyone in his head knew the score.

He swung his legs over the edge of the seat and stood, stretching. His shoulder joints cracked, and he was surprised that he had slept so well considering he had spent the night leaning against a window frame. He turned back to Maya, who was still sitting in the window seat, wrapped in the blanket, looking slightly dazed.

"I'm going to go take a shower." Phoenix said with another yawn. "I'll see you at breakfast."

Maya nodded as Phoenix picked up his shoes and made his way across the room.

"Nick..." Maya called out as he opened the sliding door. He turned to face her, expectantly.

"Thank you." She said softly.

The corner of his mouth curved upwards in a crooked smile and he gave her a small nod before turning again and leaving the room. She didn't need to explain why she was thanking him.

He knew.

Once he had closed the door, Maya let out the breath she had been holding. She felt like a complete bundle of nerves, and yet Phoenix had seemed so calm, so normal.

"Ugh!" she groaned. _"You must have looked like the biggest idiot! He probably feels sorry for you!"_ she told herself. She wrapped herself tighter in the blanket, closing her eyes and taking another deep breath. She smiled.

"_It still smells like Nick."_

* * *

Maya held Pearl's hand as they followed Iris towards Dusky Bridge. Breakfast had been sensational. Iris's pancakes (and Pearl's too, as she had insisted everyone acknowledge her help) were to die for, but now that she was heading towards the inner temple, nerves were kicking in. She was starting to wish she had refused the last helping.

All through breakfast, she had watched both Phoenix and Iris to see if they had given off any signs that something was happening between them. To her surprise, there were none. She was sure she would catch the two of them stealing glances at one another or exchanging looks, but they hadn't. They had been polite and friendly with one another, but that was it.

Maya frowned as she grasped Pearl's hand tighter when they reached the foot of the bridge. She was sure when she had seen Phoenix and Iris here last night that something was going on. But then, he had stayed with her last night.

"_He probably stayed because you were bawling your eyes out."_ She reasoned with herself. _"What was he supposed to do? Say no and leave? Nick wouldn't do that. He felt obligated to stay."_

Maya sighed. She didn't want Phoenix to feel obligated to do anything. She would apologise for her behaviour when she got to the inner temple. Phoenix had disappeared as soon as he had finished breakfast, promising her that he would meet her there to wish her luck before she started the course. She giggled to herself. He probably didn't want her to see his face when he crossed the bridge again. Last time he had almost fainted!

As they entered the small corridor of the inner temple that led to the Sacred Cavern, Maya heard Sister Bikini chuckling, but her head snapped upwards when she heard Phoenix's voice as well. She couldn't believe her eyes when she saw him.

Phoenix stood tall, looking strong and proud in a traditional Kurain hakama and kimono. It was quite similar to something Maya remembered her father wearing when she was very young. The expression on his face was serious as he spoke to Sister Bikini, no doubt asking her what kind of trouble he had got himself into. Maya couldn't tear her eyes off him. The attire...it was so different to Phoenix's usual blue suit, but nonetheless, he looked every bit the part of the Kurain male in training and Maya would also admit; very, _very_ handsome.

It wasn't completely unheard of for males in Kurain to undertake spiritual training along with the women. Although they had no spiritual power, the courses were long and arduous and required vast amounts of strength, dexterity and endurance. Her father had done many courses with her mother. Along with the challenges he had given himself by taking on the training, it helped him understand her mother's responsibilities more. Mia had told her many times how happy her mother had been that he had taken such an interest in her position. He had loved her greatly, but when he had died, that's when everything started to fall apart. Maya sighed. They were together again at last.

Phoenix looked up and smiled when he noticed the girls had arrived.

"Wh-what are you doing?" Maya managed to stammer.

"The Special Course!" Phoenix said with a grin.

Pearl clasped her hands together excitedly, Iris smiled and Maya's jaw just about hit the floor.

* * *

Pearl stood on her tiptoes and peeked through the gap in the door of the sacred cavern. Phoenix and Maya had already gone inside along with Sister Bikini and would be starting the course soon.

"Mystic Pearl, you know you shouldn't be peeking through that door." Iris said, settling herself down on the floor. She had been assigned to first watch, and Pearl had insisted on helping her.

Pearl turned and pouted.

"But Sister Bikini hasn't put the big red lock on the door yet! So it's still okay to look..." Pearl said, hoping Iris would see her logic.

"Okay then," Iris said, letting her stay where she was. "But you better not let Sister Bikini catch you there..." she warned.

"I won't!" she said, turning back to the door.

"Oh! I can see them!" she exclaimed excitedly."Mr. Nick is talking to Mystic Maya...and now he's holding her hand!"

Pearl turned her head to grin at Iris, who couldn't help smiling back at the girl's enthusiasm.

"Come on, Mystic Pearl." She said, patting the floor beside her. "You should give them some privacy, and besides, Sister Bikini will be out soon."

"Alright." Pearl said dejectedly, trudging over to where Iris sat. She picked up one of the colouring books she had brought with her and selected the appropriate crayon.

"You know Sister Iris," she began as she coloured, "Mr. Nick really is Mystic Maya's knight in shining armour. Just like in the stories."

"Is that so, Mystic Pearl?" Iris asked.

"Uh huh." Pearl nodded. "He's always there to save her, and he always protects her. Mr Nick would walk over hot coals for Mystic Maya. He would do anything for her."

"You know what Mystic Pearl?" Iris smiled. "I don't think you're wrong there."

"Really?" Pearl said, looking up at Iris with a surprised smile. "They always tell me that I'm wrong, but I know I'm not."

"Well I think you know more than they do." Iris said reassuringly.

Pearl grinned and went back to colouring and Iris wondered how this little girl could see it, along with pretty much everyone else, but the two people who needed to see it the most were still completely blind.

"_Maybe not completely."_ She thought to herself, remembering what she had walked in on that morning. She smiled and picked up a crayon.

"Want some help?" Iris asked.

"Sure!" Pearl said happily, and the two worked together to colour in the picture of the pretty princess and her dashing knight.

* * *

Sister Bikini walked ahead of Phoenix and Maya as they entered the sacred cavern. The waterfall crashed against the far ledge of the cavern and Phoenix watched as she moved two large blocks of ice over to the ledge and underneath the flow of the waterfall. Curiously, they didn't melt upon contact with the water, nor did they move. Phoenix gulped.

"Slow melting Spirit Ice." Maya said. Phoenix nodded.

"Nick..." she said, turning to face him. "Are you sure you want to go through with this? This is a pretty big deal."

Phoenix looked at her and nodded, his expression resolute.

"Positive. I can do this." He stated.

"You don't have to be here," Maya said. "You don't have any spiritual power...you aren't even from Kurain! Why, Nick?"

Phoenix turned, looking at the ground. He took one of her hands in his, fidgeting with her delicate fingers as he spoke.

"I just want you to know..." he started. "I want you to know...that..."

He paused.

"I care about you a lot Maya, and I want you to know that you're not alone. I'll always be here."

His kind, but completely serious expression made her feel slightly dizzy. There was something different in the way that he looked at her. He'd never looked at her that way before.

"Nick..." she said softly, giving his hand a squeeze. "I know. You don't have to do this to prove that to me."

"But I am." He said with a smile, letting out a big breath. "Now at least I know you'll never forget."

He grinned at her and she grinned back.

"Are you two ready to begin?" Sister Bikini's voice came from across the cavern.

They made their way over to the blocks of ice, and Phoenix took a deep breath, steeling himself before stepping underneath the water and sitting cross legged on the ice.

"Ack!" he cried. "Maya! This is freezing!"

"You'll be fine!" she yelled over the sound of the water. "Remember the mantra!"

"_I am one with the water. I am one with the earth. I am one with the wind. I am one with the fire. I am one with the spirit."_

Phoenix began to repeat the mantra that Sister Bikini had taught him, over and over in his mind, wondering how he was going to make it through the next twelve hours. Suddenly, he became aware of a strange warmth in his left hand. It took him a moment to realise that Maya had reached out from her block of ice and taken his hand in hers.

Suddenly, he felt stronger. He sat up straighter, shoulders back and chest out in a prideful manner. He continued to repeat the mantra. He knew that the hand in his and the warmth and love it represented was more than enough to help him brave even the coldest ice.

* * *

**A/N: I loves the fluff! XD. Hopefully I wont be so long with the next chapter.**


	11. Someplace Warm

**A/N: This chapter is a tad Iris-centric, but it was bugging me that she was OOC without any explanation. **

**Thanks so much to all my readers & reviewers, you guys are teh awesum. XD I'm so glad peeps are loving this story. Makes me wanna keep writing when I should be doing more constructive stuff.  
**

**Mina Aino1: I still can't see your pic :(**

**Ben Keynes: Iris *is* totally hot now huh? Even I'm falling for her! And I'm a chick!**

**Cynthia: I don't think I'll quite stretch it to 30, but I have a few more in me, and I'm tossing up the idea of unleashing a sequel on your bad selves. LOL  
**

* * *

Iris sat in the Inner temple, flicking idly through the latest issue of "Oh Cult!" magazine. She was now on the last four hour watch period, Sister Bikini having taken the second watch. Pearl had stayed back at the main hall this time, but would no doubt return with Sister Bikini to remove the lock. She reached into her pocket, pulling out a small silver pocket watch. It was getting close to nine o clock. Given the time, Sister Bikini wouldn't be too much longer.

Turning her attention back to the magazine, she thought about last month's issue. If Sister Bikini had never seen the need to advertise their spiritual retreat, maybe none of this would have happened. Fate had a funny way of aligning everyone and everything, and not always with the best results. She let out a small, audible sigh. Everything happened for a reason and she had learned some things about herself, very important lessons, in the process.

Her jail time in total had been a little less than two weeks, but it had been the longest fortnight of her life. Once she was incarcerated, it didn't take long for her mother to find her. Iris was terrified of Morgan, and unfortunately, Morgan knew that all too well. Knowing that Iris lacked any of the fire that dominated her twin's personality, Morgan subjected her to two full days of scathing emotional and verbal abuse, telling her constantly how worthless she was and how she wished she was never born, without having to worry about any retaliation from the meek young woman. As would be expected, Iris eventually reached breaking point. Unable to take it anymore, she tearfully requested solitary confinement. Despite the unusual nature of her request, the bewildered prison guard agreed.

Sitting alone in the tiny, freezing cell, Iris had wondered if her mother was in fact, right. Was she worthless? Should she have never been born? All she had ever tried to do was help the people that she loved, even if they didn't love her back. Painfully, she realised that by helping those that didn't love her in an effort to win their affections, she had betrayed the one person who really had loved her.

Phoenix.

Thinking about Phoenix and the web of deception she had helped build brought tears to her eyes. He was a good man, and he didn't deserve her lies. No matter what she felt for him, there was no denying that she had given her sister's demands priority over not only what she knew to be right, but also over her feelings for Phoenix. She had no right to claim his love when she had knowingly risked his life simply because Dahlia had asked her to.

Despite what she had done, and despite what was at stake, he'd never stopped believing in her. It made her sick to her stomach to think that her sister's flippant disregard for human life had almost robbed the world of such a caring individual. She remembered her time with Phoenix fondly. He had doted on her, wanting to tell the world about his "Dollie". But that... that was a long time ago. Phoenix had changed. Grown up. He was a successful lawyer now. Smart, serious and driven. Iris knew there was no way she would fit into his life now, Feenie was long gone.

But there was someone else who did fit. How strange that the person in question would ultimately end up being her own cousin. Deep down, Iris would admit to tiny pangs of jealousy over the way that Phoenix fiercely protected his assistant. In his eyes, there was no way that Maya Fey could do anything wrong. They had a bond unlike anything Iris had witnessed before. Phoenix risked his life trying to cross the charred remains of Dusky Bridge that night, just to get to her. He had refused to believe that Maya had died in the cavern, doing anything to cling to that shred of belief that she would be fine. It was obvious to everyone that came to Hazakurain on that fateful day that the attachment between Phoenix and Maya ran exceptionally deep.

She, on the other hand, had spent the last five years of her life leaving Phoenix behind. She could have tried to find him earlier; she could have tried to explain. But she didn't. She knew that the resurgence of feelings that she felt for him now, seeing him again after all these years, needed to be forgotten again, just as they had five years ago. Pushed aside in the same way. Phoenix had moved on with his life, and she wanted him to be happy. When he had done everything in his power to ensure her release from prison, it only reinforced that belief, especially when she had witnessed first hand the look in his eyes when he gazed at his young assistant.

Closing the magazine, Iris smiled to herself. The road they had travelled was a bumpy one, but the final destination was what mattered. Here she was, back at Hazakurain. She was exactly where she needed to be. This was her place. Hazakurain made her happy. She owed her freedom to Phoenix, and if there was any way that she could help him be happy too, then she would do all she could. Even if that meant letting him go.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Pearl's small voice and Sister Bikini's chuckle as they approached. Iris stood and prepared for their arrival.

"Good evening Iris!" Sister Bikini smiled. "No problems here?"

Iris shook her head.

"Both candles are still burning brightly." She said.

After Phoenix and Maya were locked inside the Sacred Cavern, Sister Bikini had performed a small ritual that connected their conscious spirits to a large red pillar candle each, on the outside. This allowed the person on watch to keep an eye on those undergoing the course, without being able to physically see them. If the flame were to extinguish it would alert the nun on watch that their acolyte had fallen unconscious from the extreme cold and required medical attention. Thankfully, that hadn't occurred today.

"Have the recovery rooms been prepared?" Sister Bikini enquired. Iris nodded.

"Everything is ready." She replied.

Following the special course, it was customary for participants to spend the next twelve hours after completion undergoing a special recuperation period in what was known as the recovery room. Hazakurain's Inner Temple had four rooms equipped for such a purpose, each room housing three large fireplaces, one on each wall. The remaining wall consisted mainly of a large wooden door. The rooms themselves were insulated and designed to hold in the heat and the fireplaces could be restocked with wood from a narrow series of tunnels that ran between the rooms. Once retrieved from the sacred cavern, those undertaking the course would be given a change of clothes and placed in one of the warm rooms to rest. It was also required for them to drink a special tea, brewed from an ancient Kurain recipe. The tea helped warm from the inside, while also having numerous medicinal benefits.

"Remember to make sure you put them in separate rooms." Sister Bikini warned. "You know what kind of side effects that tea can have on those that drink it… ho ho!" she finished with an embarrassed chuckle, her round cheeks reddening slightly.

Iris smiled and nodded as Sister Bikini turned her attention back to the large door and set about removing the lock. It was true that the recovery tea had been known to cause those who ingested it to become somewhat intoxicated, much the same as if they had consumed too much alcohol. Iris smiled to herself. She had no intention of putting Phoenix and Maya in separate rooms for their recovery period, but Sister Bikini didn't need to know that.

"_A little push in the right direction is the least I can do." _Iris thought to herself.

After a few minutes, Sister Bikini had successfully removed the lock. She gathered two enormous looking towels, and headed into the cavern to retrieve the pair, who at this point were no doubt beyond freezing. Pearl clung to Iris's robes, obviously worried for Phoenix and Maya. Moments later Sister Bikini returned, the two in question trailing quietly behind her, wrapped in their towels. They were exhausted, soaked to the bone and pale from the cold, but other than that, they looked to be in good health. Pearl tugged on Iris's robe, smiling up at her in relief once she knew they were both okay. Iris gave her an affectionate pat on the head. After instructing Phoenix and Maya to each extinguish their own candle, Sister Bikini gave them both fresh robes and sent them to separate chambers to dry off and change.

"Iris, I'll leave them now in your care. This cold is terrible on my back…" Sister Bikini said, bringing a hand to the offending area. She cringed lightly.

"Sister Bikini, you should go back to the main house and rest. I'll stay here tonight and keep the fires stocked for Mystic Maya and Mr Wright." Iris said, a compassionate expression on her face.

"Are you sure dear?" Sister Bikini asked.

"Absolutely. Mystic Pearl and I can set up another of the recovery rooms and we'll have ourselves a slumber party." She said, smiling down at the young girl.

Pearl, who had been silent up until this point, couldn't contain her excitement.

"Oh I'd love that Sister Iris!" she beamed. Bikini smiled lovingly at the two girls and shook her head lightly.

"You're such a good girl, Iris." She said, reaching forward to give her hand a quick squeeze, before turning and making her way out of the inner temple. Iris felt bad, seeing as she was about to disobey Sister Bikini's instruction to separate Phoenix and Maya for the rest of the night. But it was for a good cause, she told herself.

Phoenix emerged from the side chambers first, handing Iris the soaked towel he had brought with him.

"Sorry…" he said sheepishly. "I didn't know what to do with this."

She smiled and took the towel from him.

"I'll take it, it's fine." She said. "You should be very proud of yourself, Phoenix. You're the first person to complete the special course with no spiritual background."

He nodded.

"I'm not really sure how I did it to be honest." He said, shaking his head.

"You did it for Mystic Maya!" Pearl piped in happily. Phoenix laughed."I guess I did Pearls." He agreed. Pearl grinned up at him.

"You're her special someone, Mr Nick!" Pearl said, just as Maya materialised beside her.

"Who is whose special someone?" Maya asked.

"Nothing."

"No one."

Iris and Phoenix spoke at the same time. Pearl looked on, a puzzled expression on her face. Grown ups sure were strange. Maya looked at Iris, then back at Phoenix, wondering what they were hiding. That unsettling feeling in her stomach seemed to be returning.

"Anyway," Iris began, changing the subject. "We had better get you two to the recovery room before you catch a cold!" she finished, leading them down a small hallway. Unlocking the door in front of her, she ushered the pair inside the room. It was quite warm inside already. Fires burned brightly in the fireplaces on all three walls. Two futons had been arranged in the middle of the room, while a pot of tea sat close by on a small table, along with two cups.

"Make sure you drink the tea," Iris instructed. "It will help boost your immune system so you won't get sick from exposure to the cold."

Maya made her way over to the table and began pouring the tea, while Phoenix remained in the doorway.

"Thank you, Iris." He said earnestly. She nodded in reply, backing out of the room.

"Sleep well." She said.

"Goodnight Mr Nick! Goodnight Mystic Maya!" Pearl called from outside the room. Phoenix smiled.

"Goodnight Pearls." He said.

"Night Pearly!" Maya called out to her young cousin.

Iris closed the door, leaving the Phoenix and Maya inside. Putting the large red lock and chains in place, she leaned against the doorway for a moment, her expression one of concentration. Something was bothering her. Something she just couldn't forget.

She had made the mistake of trusting the wrong people in the past. Doing the wrong thing for the right reasons. She had vowed never to make that mistake again. There was something she had overheard her mother speaking about during a phone call when she was in prison. She hadn't taken much notice at the time, but it kept bothering her. Maybe it was important. She chewed on her lip thoughtfully. If she had any information that might be of help to Maya, Phoenix or even little Pearl, she had to let them know, especially if it concerned her mother. She took Pearl by the hand and led her to next recovery room.

Iris knew she needed more information to be sure, but she couldn't get that where she was. She was under house arrest. Presently, she was not permitted to leave Hazakurain.

There was someone though, who could help her. It was a long shot, but she had to try. And she would need Pearl's help.

* * *

Phoenix trudged towards the centre of the room. The warmth in the room was nothing short of delicious. His bones ached and his body was completely exhausted. He barely made it to his futon before collapsing face down on his pillow.

"Nick."

He frowned at the sound of Maya's voice. Turning his head to the side, he saw that she was crouched beside him, a small teacup in her hands.

"Mmmrmph." Phoenix grumbled.

"You need to drink this." She said, holding out the cup.

"I need to sleep." He countered.

"Drink this, and _then_ you can sleep." She said. He grumbled again. "You don't want to end up back in hospital do you?"

This got Phoenix's attention. He most certainly didn't. He pulled himself up on to his elbows, groaning painfully. Taking the cup from Maya, he took a small sip.

"Ugh." He said, his face twisting into a grimace. "This is terrible."

"I know," she said, downing the rest of her cup in one gulp. "Drink it quick, then it's gone." Phoenix did as she suggested, handing the cup back to her. She stood, taking their cups back over to the small table and placing them down softly. Instead of returning to her futon, she walked towards one of the fireplaces. She stretched out her hands, wiggling her fingers, warming them in front of the fire. Phoenix rolled on to his side, leaning on his elbow. He watched her, wondering how she still managed to move so gracefully after the brutal torture she had subjected her body to earlier today. Ten minutes ago every inch of his body had been screaming in pain, but even when they left the cavern, Maya appeared to be just fine.

Phoenix's head felt a little bit fuzzy, but at the same time, his body aches seemed to be lessening so he didn't mind too much. There must have been something in the tea. Maya remained where she was, watching the flames flicker as she warmed herself.

Phoenix continued to watch Maya as the light from the fireplace seemed to give her skin an ethereal glow. The robe she had been given was a little bit shorter than the one she wore every day, affording Phoenix a rather generous view of her shapely legs, which he could admit, he was quite enjoying. Her silky black hair shone in the light of the flames.

Phoenix's brain felt like it was on auto-pilot. He knew he was having thoughts, but they were disjointed and he couldn't seem to make any sense of them. Against what he knew was his better judgement, he stood up and moved towards Maya. His head was spinning a little, and he felt a bit unsteady on his feet. After what felt like an eternity, he finally reached her, placing his hands on her shoulders.

She spun around, probably a little too quickly. Her unfocused expression and general unsteadiness told Phoenix that she was feeling a little out of it too. She clutched at his robe to prevent herself from falling over.

"My head…" she said quietly. "It's spinning. Or the room is. I'm not sure."

He could relate.

"We'd better get you to bed." He said, turning around and manoeuvring her towards the centre of the room. He helped her lower herself down to her futon, but lost balance himself in the process. He fell rather awkwardly on top of her, bracing himself with his forearms on either side of her head. He blinked a few times, trying to clear the cobwebs from his head and assess the situation. His thoughts weren't making sense, all he could clearly discern was how beautiful she looked.

"Nick…" she said quietly. "I feel funny."

"Me too…" he breathed.

She brought a hand up, placing it gently on the back of his head, entwining her fingers into his hair. Instinctively, he lowered his head towards hers. Their noses grazed each other lightly, and her eyes fluttered closed.

He could feel her breath on his lips. His heart was hammering in his chest. He could feel her heartbeat too. His head was spinning. All he needed to do was lean forward ever so slightly… and he would be…

But he couldn't do it. He couldn't take advantage of her. Not like this.

"The tea…" he breathed. "You don't know what you're doing."

She blinked, as if unable to comprehend what he was saying. He lifted himself up, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead before rolling towards his own futon.

"Goodnight, Maya." He said tenderly. She said nothing, reaching out to take his hand. Phoenix's head continued to spin as his head hit the pillow. Everything felt unfocused. One thing was clear though. Tonight, he may not have done what he truly wanted to, but he had made the right choice.

* * *

**A/N: Nyaaaaaahhhh! As if I'm gonna give away a kiss *that* easily! :P**


	12. The New Threat

**A/N: Another chapter for you all. I actually wasn't going to put this up today – I was going to wait until I was two chapters ahead to post it. The story is getting a little involved, so I'm worried I'm going to have to make revisions. Oh well!**

**Ben Keynes: I knew what you meant. I was just being my usual over-excited self :P**

**Mina Aino1: I still can't see! *waaah* Maybe it's my stupid computer. Try photobucketing it! I wanna seeeeee!**

**Iryna: You are most correct. Phoenix should be more bold!! But don't worry, he'll get there ;)**

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* * *

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**Chapter 12 - The New Threat**

Iris sat nervously watching Pearl as she entered into a meditative state. She chewed on her fingernail, unable to stop fidgeting. She had never actually witnessed anyone call a spirit before. It was pretty exciting, but unbelievably scary at the same time. Iris was worried too. There was every possibility that the person she was calling on would not be willing to help her. But she had to try. If her mother was up to anything at all, they had to do everything possible to find out what it might be.

Pearl had agreed to help her without hesitation. Iris wondered whether that was a particularly good thing. She hated to think that her young sister would trust absolutely anyone, especially after what happened with their mother. But maybe since she knew the person she was channelling could do no harm, Pearl held no concerns about helping Iris when she asked.

It wasn't long before Pearl's appearance began to warp and in a matter of seconds, a completely different person sat across from Iris. She blinked a few times. She wasn't sure how to begin, or what to say at all. The person sitting across from her narrowed their eyes upon realising who had summoned them.

Frowning, her new guest spoke.

"You'd better be the good one."

Iris hung her head.

"Mystic Mia..." she began nervously. "I am, I mean, I'm Iris."

Mia continued to look at her coolly, her expression unreadable.

"Forgive me if I'm not completely thrilled to be here." She said sarcastically. "But your sister ruined my life, and your mother tried to have my sister killed. If you're working with either of them, I'd just like you to know before you bother trying that you won't be able to manipulate me."

Iris flinched. While she knew without a doubt that she had made a huge mistake trusting Dahlia in the past, it was quite understandable that Mia wanted to know where she stood. She had been anticipating this kind of reception from Mia, but it didn't change the fact that it stung. Her eyes remained fixed on the floor.

"Where am I, anyway?" Mia asked, somewhat irritated.

"Hazakurain." Iris said quietly.

Mia sighed, flipping her hair out of her eyes before glancing down at her clothing.

"Mind telling me what Pearl is doing here?" she asked raising an eyebrow. Her facial expression changed as more questions surfaced in her mind. "Wait, is my sister here too? And weren't you in prison? What's going on?"

"Mystic Mia..." Iris said, still unable to look at her. "I need your help."

Mia's expression hardened.

"Why?" she said emotionlessly. Iris took a deep breath. As expected, Mia wasn't making this easy.

"It's Mystic Maya." Iris said, finally meeting Mia's gaze.

"What?" Mia said, alarmed. "Where is my sister? What happened to her?"

Mia looked positively panicked. Iris shook her head.

"No... She's fine. I'm just concerned for her well being. I'm worried that my mother might try to hurt her again."

"But right now... she is okay?" Mia asked. Iris nodded and Mia's panicked expression relaxed into one of relief.

"She is sleeping in the room next door." Iris said reassuringly. "Phoenix is with her."

Mia nodded slowly, absorbing the information. A small smile appeared on her face. That answer appeared to be good enough for her. She looked up at Iris again, studying her face. Iris seemed timid and fragile. Genuinely so. Nothing like that fake garbage her sister used to spew forth when under pressure. She could see through Dahlia Hawthorne from day one, but Iris didn't seem to be hiding anything. Relaxing a little, Mia folded her arms in front of her. Iris had seemingly gone to an awful lot of trouble to get her here, and there wouldn't be any harm in seeing what the girl had to say, especially since it concerned Morgan. She had nothing to lose by just listening.

"You helped Diego, didn't you?" Mia asked, remembering the last time she had seen the girl.

Iris looked up at her, nodding slowly.

"Then I will help you." Mia said, smoothing out Pearl's robe casually. "So tell me, what is going on?"

* * *

Phoenix opened his eyes, groaning loudly. His head felt like someone had smashed it repeatedly with a brick.

There was little light left in the room as the fires had died down considerably. They hadn't gone completely out, but they were no where near the roaring intensity of last night. He wondered what time it was. There weren't any windows in the room either, so he had no way of even guessing. The warmth on his right side suggested that Maya had somehow gravitated towards him during the night... or perhaps he had moved towards her?

He sighed. It didn't really matter. They were lying in a tangle of blankets in the space between their two futons – it appeared they had both abandoned their respective sleeping areas during the night, and met up somewhere in the middle.

Pulling himself up to lean on his elbow, he looked down at her, grateful that there was just enough light in the room to make out her pretty features. Carefully, he brushed her hair out of her eyes and tucked it behind her ear.

She stirred lightly, and Phoenix was able to pinpoint the exact moment when the excruciating head pain he was also feeling hit her. She frowned. Then squeezed her eyes shut even tighter. Even though he knew he shouldn't have, he laughed a little and was rewarded with further pain of his own as his laughter reverberated through his head. That would teach him for his lack of sympathy.

Maya opened one eye groggily. The first thing she saw was Phoenix peering down at her with a slightly bemused expression.

"Your head hurt too?" he asked her.

"Mmmm." She agreed. "Like someone ran over it with a truck."

Phoenix flopped back down on his pillow.

"Well, this is certainly the worst hangover I've ever had..." he said with a groan.

"This is what a hangover feels like?" Maya asked with a frown. "I'm never drinking alcohol _ever_."

"We only drank tea..." Phoenix said, rubbing his temples.

"I remember that it was horrible." Maya said, screwing her nose up. "But you know, I don't remember much after that." She finished, sounding slightly puzzled.

"Me neither". Phoenix added.

He shrugged.

"Must have been strong tea."

They were silent again for a few minutes, but neither moved. They seemed content to continue sharing body warmth while lamenting over their pseudo hangovers. Phoenix's thoughts drifted predictably to Maya. This was the second morning in a row that he had woken up next to her. He decided that he could certainly get used to that.

"So..." Phoenix began cheekily. "You get cold last night?"

It took Maya a few moments to realise exactly what he was talking about.

"Oh..." she said, as she mentally made sense of his question. He was referring to the fact that she was huddled so close to him, sharing a blanket. She sat up quickly.

"Sorry..." she said, feeling her cheeks redden. Phoenix chuckled to himself. She was _too _easy to tease.

Without opening his eyes he reached up and pulled her back down so that she was lying next to him, exactly where she had been before. He slung an arm over her waist and pulled her closer.

"It's alright." He said with a sleepy smile. "I got cold too."

Within a few minutes, his breathing had evened out and he was asleep again. Maya however, was still awake, trying to calm the butterflies that had just made a grand appearance in her stomach.

She smiled secretly to herself. Something had changed.

Phoenix was... different.

Everything was different.

But she liked it.

One last thought drifted through her mind as she fell asleep once more, snuggling closer to the man next to her.

"_Maybe I don't have to worry about Iris after all..."_

_

* * *

_

Thankfully, the next time Phoenix and Maya awoke, their headaches had dissipated somewhat. More sleep was apparently the miracle cure for the disastrous after effects of Kurain's Healing Tea. By the time she had eaten some breakfast and packed her things, Maya felt pretty much fine.

Looking around her guest room quickly to make sure she hadn't left anything behind, Maya spotted her borrowed training robes sitting at the foot of her futon. Picking them up, she headed out the door. There was a small laundry at the end of the hall; she figured she could leave her robes there.

Entering the laundry, she was surprised to find Iris already inside, folding some towels.

"Iris." Maya said, slightly surprised. "I didn't expect anyone to be in here."

"There's always work to do." Iris smiled, taking Maya's bundled up robes from her arms. She set them aside and continued to fold the laundry. Her actions made Maya remember something important.

"Well, that's actually something I was planning on talking to you about before I left." Maya said, leaning against the old sink by the door. Iris looked up at her, questioningly.

"I wanted to send some acolytes to train here." Maya began.

"Oh, that would be lovely!" Iris said happily.

"I was thinking about sending them... permanently."

"Oh..." Iris said, surprised at first. But as the information sunk in, she couldn't help but break into an excited grin. "You mean... we would have more sisters here?"

Maya nodded.

"Sister Bikini mentioned to me that she had to cancel all the bookings while you weren't here and even now that you have returned she still has to turn people away. You're undermanned here at Hazakurain, Iris, and I'd like to make it my first official decree as Master that we send more resources and funds to help you out. You are, after all, a branch of the Kurain Village."

Iris couldn't have been happier.

"That sounds so wonderful Mystic Maya. I can't thank you enough!"

"Well, I'm glad." Maya said. "I'll be really happy if I can always use my position to help people."

Iris nodded.

"I think you're going to make a really great Master, Mystic Maya." She said with a smile.

"Thank you Iris! That really means a lot." Maya said, genuinely touched.

"I can only hope that Phoenix doesn't fall apart while you're away from time to time looking after Kurain business!" Iris said with s mall chuckle, taking her folded towels over to the large linen closet. "Whatever will he do without you to keep him in line?"

Maya laughed.

"I'm pretty sure Nick can take care of himself..."

They looked at each other, before breaking into laughter. They both knew that Phoenix would be hopeless if left to fend for himself.

"Maybe you'd better take him with you, just be to sure." Iris giggled.

"_Not a bad idea..."_ Maya thought to herself. Time away from Phoenix, especially after this trip wasn't really something she could say she was looking forward to at all.

"He cares about you a lot, Maya." Iris said, smiling softly. Maya nodded.

"I know."

"Take care of him, okay?" Iris asked.

"I will." Maya replied. She wasn't exactly sure what was happening between her and Phoenix, but Iris seemed to know something about it, whatever it was. She wondered if Phoenix had said anything to her.

The two girls remained in silence for a moment before Maya decided she should probably get going. She still had to make sure Pearl was all packed and find Phoenix, who had disappeared back to his own room to pack shortly after breakfast.

"Will you be down at the main gate when we are leaving?" Maya asked.

"Of course," Iris said.

Maya smiled and turned to leave the room. Iris thought for a brief moment before calling out to her. She should probably warn her about what she knew.

"Wait...Mystic Maya," she called. "There's something I wanted to talk to you about as well."

"Yes?" Maya said expectantly as she turned back to face Iris.

"Be careful..." Iris began. "...Of Andre."

Maya froze.

"How do you know Andre?" she asked, her brow furrowing.

"I think... I think he might be my brother." She said sadly.

Maya's eyes widened and her mouth dropped open. Phoenix had been right after all.

Mia had confirmed to Iris that Morgan had indeed been pregnant at the same time as Alana Fey, the woman the rest of the village to this day believed to be Andre's mother. Although she had been too young to understand what was going on at the time, Mia remembered that Andre's father Lucas had a reputation as a bit of a womaniser. There had been whispers about the village that Lucas had fathered both children. They had also been told that Morgan's baby had died at birth, but in retrospect it was quite possible that Alana's baby had been the one to die. Morgan, divorced and having just given birth to a married man's child would have likely given Andre up to Lucas to avoid bringing shame upon herself.

"I'm not completely sure yet, but we'll contact you as soon as we get more info." Iris added.

Maya nodded, lost in her thoughts. She needed to find Phoenix and tell him.

"Thanks, Iris." Maya said, dashing out of the room. In her hurry to leave, she had seemingly failed to notice Iris's use of the word "we".

* * *

Andre shifted uncomfortably in his seat. These visiting room chairs were terrible. He looked back at Morgan, who was still sitting across from him, an intense expression on her face.

"So you understand the plan, then?" she asked him.

Andre sighed.

"I really don't see what the point of this exercise is. You'll still be stuck in prison and Mystic Maya gets to ditch her responsibility and live happily ever after with the lawyer. That really doesn't sound like a very fruitful revenge plot to me." He said, unimpressed.

"This isn't about revenge!" Morgan cried. "This is about Kurain. We cannot hold on to petty grudges at the expense of the village. What have I tried to instil on you these last few years?"

"No matter what, Kurain comes first." Andre said in a monotone voice, as if repeating something he had heard a hundred times over.

"Good boy." Morgan said, smiling.

"Now remember, in order for this to work, you need to do exactly as I have asked." She continued. "Do you remember where it's hidden?"

"Yes." He said simply. "Are you sure I won't be suspected of anything?"

"No." Morgan said. "Not unless you act suspicious. I assure you it will leave no trace."

"What if the lawyer comes poking around? He has a talent for sticking his nose where it isn't wanted." Andre asked.

"He won't." Morgan assured him. "If he has Mystic Maya with him, then Kurain will be of no concern."

Andre stood.

"I understand. I'll return when it's done. You can advise me where to go from there."

Morgan nodded, pleased. Andre was proving to be very easily controlled. This was very much to her liking. She had been concerned for a while that he harboured an independent streak like Dahlia had. Lucky for her, he was more like Iris.

"Farewell, Mother" Andre said, as he walked through the door.

Morgan scowled. How many times had she told him not to call her that?

As he walked back to the train station, Andre went over his mother's plan in his head. Part of him could definitely understand why she wanted things done in a particular way. If successful, the outcome of her plan would be quite fruitful for not only Kurain as a whole, but himself too.

But he couldn't just sit back and let Mystic Maya and that lawyer get away with putting his mother in prison. All she had ever done was try to protect the village. She had always tried to do what was best for Kurain. It was a great 'injustice' that she had to spend the rest of her days locked up on murder related charges when she never even actually killed anyone.

Andre had been fourteen when he found out that Morgan was his real mother. He had overheard a heated conversation between Morgan and his father about sending him away to a private school to be educated on matters outside of Kurain. At first, he was puzzled as to why this woman would have any say in his education at all. She was claiming that she wanted him to be in a position of power amongst Kurain's main family as he matured, while his father begged her to just leave things alone. None of what she was saying made sense until Morgan uttered the words that made it all start to fit together.

"_He is my son, and I will get what I want."_

He confronted his father after Morgan had left and he finally broke down and told Andre the truth. Against his father's wishes, he sought Morgan out and began getting to know her. He found that they had a lot in common and he understood and respected her ideals. He grew proud of his close attachment to Kurain's head family, although everyone around him knew nothing of the reasons for his drastic change from a kind, down to earth boy to the conceited young man he had become. Also, having studied outside the village as Morgan had wished, he was much more educated than all of them anyway.

Morgan's scheme for the most part was quite sound. Andre was impressed with her meticulous planning, and he admired the way that she had spent many years planting the right people in the right places. He was one of them. If the woman had anything, it was patience.

Andre scowled. There had to be a way to pull everything off without a hitch as per his mother's directions and get revenge on Maya Fey and Phoenix Wright in the process.

And Andre Fey was determined to find it.


	13. A Sister's Love

**A/N: New chapter! Yayz! XD Things are getting juicy now folks!**

**Mina Aino1: Your pic is awesome! I wish there was a way to post it here!  
**

* * *

Placing the crate of daisy plants on the ground, Andre Fey wiped his brow. For the last six months he had been caring for Althea Fey's garden, at his mother's request of course. Once a week he would appear at her house in order to weed the garden or plant new flowers, and as Morgan had expected, Althea had taken quite a shine to Andre. Althea had no idea that Andre had been instructed to perform this task, she merely thought of it as an act of good nature from the young man and Andre was to keep it that way.

Although Kurain's Council of Elders had no direct leader to speak of, the closest one would get to naming someone in that position would be Althea Fey. Althea, blessed with great spiritual power, was first cousin to Mystic Meredith, Misty's mother and Maya's grandmother. As time wore on, and more generations were born into the Fey name, Althea's direct relation to the master distanced. But despite the fact that she was Maya Fey's third cousin, respect for Althea Fey and her abilities hadn't waned in the slightest. It was only natural that in her twilight years she would occupy a pivotal position on the council.

Andre had been puzzled at first when Morgan had presented him with such a menial task, deeming it of utmost importance, but now that he knew more intricate details of her scheme, he knew that it was probably the single most important part of her plan altogether. Andre wasn't just there to plant the daisies. He was to be the voice of the "regular villager" who was concerned with the lack of loyalty shown to them by their new master. He was the one needed to plant the seed of doubt in Althea's mind about the capability of Maya Fey to be the master of Kurain. Over the last few months Andre had won Althea's trust entirely. She seemed to value his input and liked his company. It would be easy to convince her that the council needed to strip Maya of her title for the good of the village.

"Andre?" Althea called. "Come inside and have a glass of lemonade. You've been working terribly hard out there."

"_Perfect."_ Andre thought to himself. These little drink breaks were when the real work got done.

Heading inside the house, Andre noticed large stack of paperwork on Althea's kitchen table. He could use that to his advantage.

"You look like you've been really busy, Mystic Althea." Andre noted, taking a sip of his lemonade. Althea smiled. Although he wasn't officially required to use the title of Mystic, Andre's respectful use made her happy. She nodded in reply to Andre's question, sighing as she sat down.

"With the Master away, there is much to get done around here."

"Do you know when Mystic Maya will be returning?" Andre asked casually. Althea sighed again.

"Requests for her return have all gone unanswered."

"Sounds like Mystic Maya doesn't want to be Master." Andre said with an innocent looking shrug.

"It would appear that way, wouldn't it?" Althea said rhetorically, adjusting her glasses.

"It kind of hurts..." Andre began. "The way it seems she isn't proud of us." His carefully crafted expression of mock sadness was entirely convincing to Althea. "If I were in her position, I would do everything I could for the village." He continued.

Althea reached across the table, giving his hand a squeeze.

"I know you would Andre, you're a good boy." She said with a small smile. "If only Mystic Maya were as dedicated as you."

"Oh well." He shrugged again. "I guess the Master is the Master and we have to just accept that. Not even the council can change that."

Althea said nothing, her expression hardening somewhat.

On the exterior, Andre appeared saddened and concerned. But inside, he was smirking triumphantly.

* * *

It was late afternoon at Fey Manor and Pearl Fey sat happily playing with her dolls. She was especially fond of these dolls in particular as Mystic Mia had brought them for her the last time she had come to visit. With a boy doll in one hand, and a girl doll in the other, Pearl chatted away happily to herself.

"Mystic Maya..." she said in her best boy doll voice. "Will you marry me?"

"Of course, Mr Nick! I love you so very much!" she replied in her high pitched girl doll voice.

Even though the two never called each other by those names, in Pearl's mind, her fantasy was completely legitimate. She pushed the dolls together in an awkward kiss, just as the phone began ringing. Putting her dolls down, she skipped over to the phone to answer it.

"Hello? Pearl speaking." She said clearly into the phone, just like Maya had taught her.

"Hello Mystic Pearl!" said a cheery voice on the other end. "It's Iris. I'm glad to see you made it home safely."

"Uh huh." Pearl said, nodding even though she was on the phone. "Mystic Maya and Mr Nick went back to the city yesterday though. They didn't stay in Kurain. Did you want to speak to Mystic Maya?"

"Actually Mystic Pearl, I needed to speak to you. I need you to something for me." Iris said.

"Sure thing Sister Iris! Anything for you!" Pearl chirped.

"Thank you Mystic Pearl!" Iris said, her smile evident in her voice. "I need you to do me a big favour okay? It's really important."

Iris paused before speaking again.

"I need you to channel Mystic Mia."

* * *

Iris hung up the phone, relieved that Pearl had agreed to channel Mia again without question. Iris had told Mia of her concerns about Andre when Pearl had channelled her in the recovery room. Given the fact that Iris was not allowed to leave Hazakurain without a police escort, Mia offered to get more information once Pearl had returned home.

Iris sighed, smiling to herself. She was happy to have done her part to help and now felt that her conscience was just that little bit clearer.

"Good Luck Mia." She whispered to herself, desperately hoping that Mia wouldn't need it.

* * *

Mia opened her eyes and quickly surveyed her surroundings.

Fey Manor.

"Looks like Iris was successful." She said to herself, standing up. She smiled wistfully at the familiar walls. It felt strange yet comforting to be home. But this was no time for reminiscing. She gave Pearl's robe a small tug at the bottom, pulling it down so it covered a little more of her legs before heading out the door.

As she slipped through the gate that separated the manor and temple from the rest of the village, Mia was both surprised and relieved at the lack of people that seemed to be out and about. A few elderly women were chatting on the side of the road up ahead, while a young boy and girl who looked about Pearl's age chased a puppy around. Apart from that, the main street of the village seemed quiet. The sun was beginning to set. It was probable that most families were at home preparing for dinner. This suited Mia just fine. Pearl's ill fitting clothing was less likely to draw attention this way.

Heading down one of the paths that branched off the main street, it didn't take Mia long to find the house she was looking for. Lucas Fey and his family lived in a large, well kept home surrounded by farming fields. They even had a rather clichéd white picket fence surrounding their yard. Mia scoffed. Even the facade of a perfect home and family on the outside couldn't completely cover up the underlying troubles that Lucas Fey's drinking and womanising had caused his family. As she approached the gate she noticed a young girl of about fourteen reading a book on the grass in the front yard.

"Hello sweetie." Mia said, smiling sweetly at the girl. "Are your parents home?"

"Mom isn't here, but Dad's in the house." The girl said, opening the gate and allowing Mia to enter.

"Thank you." Mia said with another smile. She jogged up the stairs to the house and knocked on the front door. She waited a few moments, but there was no answer.

"Hello?" she called. "Is anyone there?"

Still no answer. Sighing, Mia tried the handle. It was unlocked. The door opened with a soft creak and she entered the house.

"Hello?" Mia called from the entryway. "Lucas? Are you here?"

No response. A loud clinking of glass from a room to her right caught Mia's attention, and she decided to follow the noise. Sliding the screen door open, she stepped into what appeared to be some sort of sitting room. Lucas Fey was kneeling at a small table on the far side of the room, pouring himself what appeared to be sake. Many empty bottles also littered the table. He didn't seem to acknowledge her arrival in any way.

"I'm very sorry for barging in," Mia began. "But there was no answer and the door was open, so I just..."

Mia stopped when Lucas looked up at her, his eyes and cheeks red and expression unfocused.

"That's okay pretty lady." Lucas slurred. "What can I do you for? Drink?" he finished, holding up a small ceramic mug.

"_Great."_ Mia thought to herself. _"He's drunk."_

"No thank you." Mia said flatly. "I came here to ask you some questions."

"Ohh come on. I'm sure the pretty lady would like a drink." Lucas said again. "Come. Sit." He said, patting the floor alongside him.

"No thank you, I'll stand." Mia said, crossing her arms. Lucas shrugged and took a sip of his own drink. "I wanted to ask you about Andre." Mia said.

Lucas chuckled.

"Ahhh, you interested in my boy are you?" he said with a sly grin. "He's a good looking kid, my Andre. Get's his good looks from his Dad. You might be a little old for him though, he's just a boy. You're not too old for Papa Bear though...pretty lady..."

Lucas licked his lips. Mia rolled her eyes in disgust.

"I'll pass." Mia said with a glare. "I need to know why he would have been speaking to Morgan Fey on the phone. He called her while she was in prison."

Lucas's expression changed immediately upon hearing Morgan's name.

"That bitch." He spat. "That cold manip... manirp... manipulative bitch. Manipulating my boy just as she manipulated me all those years ago."

Lucas blinked a few times and wobbled a little after his outburst. Mia eyed him disbelievingly.

"I'd hardly say you were an innocent party, Lucas. It takes two people to make a baby." She said raising an eyebrow. Lucas frowned.

"How'd you know about that?" he asked, a puzzled expression on his face. That was a good enough admission of guilt for Mia. "She tricked me you know. She did." Lucas attempted to defend himself. Mia really didn't care to know the details. It didn't matter how Morgan got Lucas into bed with her, just that she did at all.

"So her baby didn't die at birth then. It was Alana's, wasn't it?" Mia asked. Lucas hung his head.

"Yeah." Lucas said as his shoulders slumped. "She gave Andre to us. She met another man. Said she didn't want Andre." Lucas poured himself another drink and knocked it back in one gulp.

Mia nodded, taking in the information. Morgan had managed to hide her pregnancy under the large kimonos that she loved to wear so much. Only Lucas and those in the head family had any idea about her pregnancy at all. She wondered if Andre would be so willing to do his mother's dirty work if he knew the truth about how she didn't want him, and so casually gave him away.

"She didn't love him. She doesn't love him now. She's just using him. She uses everyone." Lucas said, his slur becoming worse. "She's evil, and he's a good boy!" he cried, before starting to sob.

"I loved her damn it!" Lucas cried, pounding his fist on the table. A couple of bottles toppled over from the impact. Mia was startled. This was way more information than she really needed right now. Kneeling down beside the distraught, intoxicated man, she placed a hand on his shoulder reassuringly.

"I'm going to try and help him before it's too late." She said. Lucas sighed, sniffling.

"It's too late. It's too late, pretty lady." He said sadly.

"Maybe it isn't yet." Mia said standing. Lucas said nothing, just continued to stare at the table, wobbling slightly.

"I'm going to go now Lucas." Mia said. "I'm going to borrow your truck too. I'll bring it back later."

"Okay pretty lady." Lucas sighed. Mia shook her head. That was easier than expected. Odd and quite unsettling given that Lucas had just run a complete gamut of emotions in a matter of five minutes, but still quite easy.

She headed out of the room, closing the screen behind her. Lucas's daughter came inside, just as Mia was looking on the hall stand for Lucas's keys.

"Which ones are the keys to your Dad's truck?" she asked. The girl turned around and pulled a red keyring off the rack behind her, handing the keys to Mia.

"Thanks." Mia said, slipping the keys into the pocket of Pearl's robe. "You might wanna go check on your Dad in there..."

The girl rolled her eyes.

"He's drunk again, isn't he?" she asked.

Mia smiled sheepishly.

"When he sobers up, tell him that the lady from earlier will bring the truck back tomorrow morning." Mia said. The girl nodded before leaving the room to check on her father. Mia walked outside and the evening chill hit her like a smack in the face.

"_I think I'd better go change before I leave."_ Mia thought to herself as she unlocked the pick-up truck and climbed inside.

* * *

Maya stretched her legs out on the couch and yawned. The office was quiet except for the soft hum of the air conditioner, filling the area with cosy warmth. She didn't even have the TV on. She could also vaguely hear the sound of the shower running upstairs. Images of a certain someone's toned body and broad shoulders covered in slick, soapy bubbles flashed through her mind and she couldn't help but blush. She fanned her face with her hand, all of a sudden feeling rather warm.

"_I should probably turn off the air conditioner..."_ she thought to herself, even though she knew full well that the contraption on the wall was not to blame for the rise in temperature she was experiencing.

Since returning from Hazakurain the day before last, living with Phoenix had turned into an entirely new experience. Any contact between them, accidental or not, felt like an electric shock to Maya. The sight of him made her stomach do somersaults and her heart rate speed up. Maya felt like a jumbled, stammering mess around Phoenix and his cool and relaxed demeanour only made him even more attractive.

Maya often found herself staring at him or admiring him in some way. And now here she was having lewd thoughts about him in the shower. She giggled to herself. But before her thoughts could wander any further, Maya was jolted out of her fantasy by a knock at the door.

"_Who on earth could that be at this time of night?"_ Maya thought to herself. Phoenix obviously wasn't expecting anyone. He was showering and preparing for bed.

Nothing could have prepared Maya for what, or who, stood on the other side of the door.

"Maya..." Mia said with a grin, dropping the grocery bag she was holding and extending her arms as her sister opened the door. Maya froze in shock, before bursting into tears and leaping into her older sister's embrace.

"What are you doing here?" Maya sobbed into Mia's shoulder. Mia pulled back, looking her baby sister in the face. She wiped a couple of tears from Maya's eyes and smiled. She picked up the plastic bag she was carrying from the floor beside her and opened it, so that Maya could see inside. Popcorn, potato chips and chocolate were visible, and that was just at the top.

"Slumber party?" Mia said with a grin.

Maya started laughing and ushered her sister inside.

Maya headed up the stairs and Mia followed behind her, her grin fading.

Bad news always went down better with a little chocolate.

* * *

**A/N: I find this to be one hundred percent true.**


	14. Approval

**A/N: Super mega fast update powers activate! LOL.**

**I reaaaally love this chapter. I think it's one of my favourites so far. Mia is just too awesome.**

* * *

Maya led Mia upstairs to her room and the two of them settled themselves comfortably on the floor. Maya couldn't stop grinning at her sister. It had been so long since the two of them had spent any time together at all. Mia was only ever around when it had something to do with a court case. This time, she was here to see her, and that made Maya unbelievably happy. While Mia's death had shocked and hurt Maya deeply, death really wasn't too large of a boundary for the Fey family. Provided the deceased still had a strong emotional link to the land of the living, it was like having a relative live a really long way away. Mia's link was Maya herself. And Diego, of course. She would never really be that far away.

Mia sat cross legged on the floor, a bag of popcorn sitting in her lap. She munched on a mouthful, closing her eyes and savouring the taste.

"Ohh... Maya." She mumbled, her mouth full. "I really miss eating."

Maya giggled, breaking off a piece of chocolate to nibble on.

"You find some of your old clothes at home?" Maya asked. Mia nodded, brushing her salty hands on her jeans. She had taken Pearl's hair down out of the signature pony tail and brushed it out straight. Nothing except for the colour of her hair and the much shorter length signified that it was, in fact, Pearl Fey sitting across from Maya, and not actually Mia herself.

"Does anyone know Pearl is gone?" Maya asked. Mia froze, mid mouthful. She shook her head to signify no.

"I didn't actually think that one through." Mia said, swallowing her popcorn. "Are they going to panic?"

"Probably." Maya said. "Just give me a sec."

She reached up to her bedside table, and retrieved her cell phone. Flicking through the numbers for a moment, she found the one she was looking for and put the phone to her ear.

"Hello? Lillian? It's Maya." She said. The voice on the other end of the phone began to speak frantically. Mia couldn't understand a word of what they were saying.

"No. Okay. No. Listen. No, she's here." Maya said, desperately trying to get the woman on the other end to listen. "She caught a train here. She said she missed me. I've put her to bed. Yes. Okay. We'll bring her back in the morning. Okay. Goodnight Lillian, sorry you were worried."

Maya threw the phone over to her bed, smiling smugly at Mia.

"Sorted." She said with a self satisfied smile.

"Nice work." Mia said, impressed. "I'd almost forgotten how good your bluff was."

Maya laughed. "You should know that Mia, you've never beaten me at poker. Not even once."

"Don't remind me." Mia said. "I regret teaching you how to play. Have you ever played poker with Phoenix? He's pretty good too; not as good as you, but I think it would be an interesting game."

"I didn't even know he played." Maya said, shaking her head.

"Where is Phoenix anyway?" Mia asked.

"Shower." Maya said through a mouthful of popcorn. Mia watched her sister's expression change. Her cheeks reddened slightly and her eyes began to dart around. She could have sworn Maya looked... well... embarrassed.

"Maya..." Mia said, angling her head to look at her sister in a no nonsense manner. "Is there something I should know about?"

"What? No! What do you mean?" Maya said, her blush getting worse.

"Maya." Mia repeated. "I'm your sister. I can sense these things."

Maya bit her lip, before grinning.

"I don't know what you're talking about Mia."

"I think you do..." Mia challenged. Maya laughed nervously. Mia let out a loud exaggerated gasp.

"You like Phoenix!!" she cried.

"No I don't Mia! I swear I don't!" Maya argued to no avail.

"You do! I can tell!" Mia continued to tease her young sister.

"Quit it Mia! I do not!" Maya pleaded. Mia chuckled. She was torturing Maya, but this was so much fun. She missed this kind of interaction with her sister.

"Does he know?" Mia asked, eyes wide.

"I don't know." Maya sighed automatically. Mia giggled and Maya quickly realised her mistake. She puffed her cheeks out and glared at her sister. "I mean, there's nothing to know! Miiiaaaa!"

A knock on Maya's bedroom door caused the pair to freeze, staring at each other. Maya panicked inwardly. How embarrassing! How much had Phoenix heard?

* * *

Phoenix stepped out of the shower, grabbing a towel and giving himself a quick dry. He fluffed the towel quickly through his hair before fastening it around his waist and heading for his bedroom. As he passed Maya's door, he heard her laugh coming from inside.

"_She must be reading something funny."_ He thought.

He smiled to himself. She seemed so much happier since their trip to Hazakurain. The only worrying thing about the whole trip had been Iris's speculation about Andre being her brother. He frowned. It was definitely something to keep an eye on, but at least now that they knew that might be the case, they could do just that. He dressed quickly in a pair of flannel pyjama pants, pausing when he heard Maya laugh again. Then he heard her speak. Another female voice followed quickly after. Then more laughing.

Phoenix scratched his head. Was Maya listening to the radio? He headed out of his bedroom and towards hers. As he approached the muffled voices on the other side of the door began to take on the high pitched tone of two women gossiping. She had to be in there with someone, but it was eleven at night. Who could it possibly be?

It sounded just like when Mia used to ring Maya from the office. Phoenix remembered fondly how he would sit at his desk and shake his head at his boss's miraculous transformation from cool, casual business woman to giggling school girl whenever she phoned her sister. Then it clicked.

"_Hang on a minute..."_ He thought to himself. _"I do recognise that voice..."_

Raising his hand, he knocked on the door. The noise from within ceased immediately.

"Maya?" he called. "You okay in there?"

"Come in, Phoenix." The other voice called. He smiled. There was only one person who said his name in that tone of voice. He'd heard it a million times.

He opened the bedroom door and his suspicions were confirmed. Mia, Maya and various bags of snacks were spread out on the bedroom floor.

"Mia." He said with a smile. "I had a feeling it was you." Mia smiled back warmly.

"You aren't surprised to see me?" she asked. Phoenix shrugged, chuckling lightly.

"Not particularly. Which I'll admit, is odd considering you _are_ dead. I guess I'm getting used to seeing dead people." Phoenix shook his head. "I never thought I'd hear myself saying that."

Phoenix had a feeling that Mia would show up sooner or later. Maya had been going through a particularly tough time lately and even though, as far as he knew, those on the other side didn't always have a direct window to know what was happening in the land of the living, he knew Mia would figure out that Maya needed her one way or the other.

He glanced over at Maya, who was as red as a beet. She hadn't said a word since he had opened the door.

"She okay?" Phoenix asked Mia, motioning to Maya.

"She's fine." Mia said. "She's just embarrassed because I found out she l..."

Mia was silenced by a pillow to the face.

"I'm fine Nick." Maya said, smiling up at him. He smiled back. Mia removed the pillow her sister had hurled at her and watched the two of them, smiling awkwardly at each other. She smirked to herself. It seemed Maya's feelings were reciprocated after all. Phoenix was as easy to read as a children's book. But as the big sister here, it was her duty to shake things up a little.

"So Phoenix," Mia began. "You always parade around in front of my baby sister without a shirt on? Not that it isn't a nice view though, right Maya?" she finished with a wink.

"Mia!" Maya cried, blushing yet again. She willed the ground to open up and swallow her whole. It didn't. She was completely horrified.

Phoenix crossed his arms, smirking at Mia. She was trying to rattle him. Not going to work. Maya noticed how the action emphasised his biceps. She felt giddy.

"I just got out of the shower. I heard voices coming from her room so I came to check." Phoenix said casually. "It could have been some kidnapper or murderer. Would you prefer the shirt Mia, or your sister's safety?"

"Touché Phoenix." Mia said, nodding appreciatively. "I'm just kidding anyway. I'm sure Maya loves it when you run around sans shirt."

Maya covered her face with her hands. She was going to kill Mia!

"But I am afraid we are operating under traditional slumber party rules here, so you're going to have to leave." Mia said, making a dismissive motion with her hand.

"Is that so?" Phoenix said, leaning against the door frame.

"Yep." Mia confirmed. "No boys allowed. Not even cute ones," she finished, giving Maya a nudge.

"Oh God Mia, you're so embarrassing!" Maya said through her hands. Phoenix laughed.

"Okay, okay. I know when I'm not wanted." He said, backing out of the room. "Night girls. Have fun." He said as he closed the door behind him. The muffled sound of Maya's exasperated voice reached his ears as he headed back up the hallway. He couldn't help but laugh. Mia would be getting an earful right about now.

* * *

"Mia! How could you do that to me!?" Maya cried, feeling thoroughly betrayed. Mia laughed.

"Relax." Mia said, leaning back against Maya's bed. "It's obvious he has a thing for you too."

"You think?" Maya said, forgetting her embarrassment all of a sudden.

"Definitely." Mia said, handing Maya some chocolate. "Eat this. It will make you feel better."

Maya groaned but accepted the chocolate anyway.

"Nothing could make me feel better. I'm so embarrassed! How am I going to face him tomorrow?"

"You'll manage." Mia said, popping a piece of chocolate in her mouth. "I'll tell you what though," she added as an afterthought. "He sure is getting better looking as he gets older!"

Maya giggled as her sister fanned herself comically.

"Whoa!" she said shaking her head. "He could give Diego a run for his money. Who knew he was hiding a bod like that? Kudos to you sis!"

Maya laughed again. Mia felt genuinely happy. It made her feel so good to see her sister smile. She sighed inwardly. She hated to change the tone of the evening, but she wasn't just there to gossip about Phoenix. She had news to deliver. And she wasn't too sure how her sister was going to take it.

* * *

Andre picked up the phone and dialled the number of his mothers prison ward. It was late, but Morgan had somehow convinced the guard on duty at that time of night to allow her to take calls. Andre didn't ask how, nor did she elaborate. All he knew was that this was the time to phone.

"Hello." he said briskly."Morgan Fey please."

"One moment." The guard said, before a soft click indicated that he had put the phone down. Andre turned the small crystal bottle over in his hands as he waited for his mother's voice.

"Andre." Morgan said, picking up the phone.

"I have it." He said simply.

"Good." Morgan replied. "It was in the box with the shell on it?"

"Yes. It was exactly where you said it would be." Andre replied.

"Two teaspoons is enough for a lethal dose. There is probably just over that in the bottle. Put the whole lot in her tea to be sure." Morgan instructed.

"Are you sure it won't be traced?" Andre asked, concerned.

"No." Morgan said. "It's a special chemical compound which leaves no trace in the system. I had it ordered and stashed in the village through Mr. De Killer for a nominal fee. Dahlia told me of it when she was in here with me."

Andre rolled his eyes. Even though she was dead, he still felt like it was being rubbed in his face that Dahlia was her favourite. Dahlia this, Dahlia that. If Dahlia was so great, she wouldn't have got caught.

"It will appear as if she has had a heart attack. Lillian has a history of heart troubles anyway. Provided you stay with her and feign concern as she dies, she won't even be any the wiser that she was poisoned. This will work in your favour if someone tries to channel her." Morgan finished.

"I understand." Andre said.

"Have you been visiting Althea?" Morgan asked.

"Yes." Andre replied. "She is definitely growing weary of Maya's absence. I'm doing all that I can to help that along without being suspicious."

"Good boy." Morgan praised. "Everything appears to be going to plan. Once you get rid of Lillian Fey, there won't be anyone left that will oppose Althea's decision to remove Maya. Once Maya is removed, Kurain will be left in the hands of its rightful leader; my darling little Pearl. And with you as her advisor, Andre, Kurain will be the most prosperous that it has ever been."

* * *

Mia and Maya were both quiet for a moment as their laughter subsided. Maya took a deep breath. As much as she hated to do this, she had to ask.

"Mia," she said softly. "You didn't just come here to eat junk food and tease me about Phoenix did you?"

Mia looked over at her sister lovingly, sighing a little. She wished that was her only reason.

"No." She said, shaking her head. "Iris sent me."

Maya's mouth formed into a silent 'Oh'. "Andre?" she asked.

Mia nodded.

"I saw Lucas today." She started.

"And?" Maya said, willing her to continue.

"Iris was right. He is her brother. Andre is our cousin."

Maya nodded as she processed what her sister had said.

"You know, Phoenix suspected that was the case right from the beginning." Maya mused. "I didn't think much of it at the time, but I guess I should be worried."

Mia sighed and nodded.

"It's never going to end, Mia." Maya said quietly. "Being the Master was always going to be an uphill battle. You're lucky you got out of it."

Mia scoffed.

"I couldn't even channel someone who died ten minutes ago." She said wistfully. "I was never going to be the master anyway. It was always you."

"You weren't interested anyway." Maya said. "I never saw you train once."

"I knew by the time you were born that it wasn't going to happen for me. That's part of the reason why Mom had you. At that stage there was no one to continue the line. I tried so hard and I felt like I was letting Mom down by only having weak spiritual powers."

Mia paused, her voice becoming raspy.

"I hated myself." Mia said, a lone tear escaping and running down her cheek. Maya moved to wrap an arm around her sister, leaning her head against her shoulder.

"Then you started to get older and you were so talented. I was so proud, even if I was a little jealous. Mom left and I had to protect you at all costs. I only left to study law to try and bring Mom back, and to do something good for the world. I wanted to be able to help everyone."

"Just like Phoenix." Maya whispered.

"Just like Phoenix..." Mia agreed.

The girls sat together in silence for a while, before Mia spoke again.

"Maya, do you want to be Master?"

Maya shrugged.

"You know, no one's ever asked me that before." She said sadly.

Mia shook her head. The job was just thrust upon Maya from such a young age. She'd never known anything different.

"Do you?" Mia asked again.

"I guess I do. I want to make changes. Good changes." Maya began. "And I know that Pearl is next in line, and I couldn't live with myself if this kind of responsibility was heaped on to her. That wouldn't be fair."

"But at the same time..." she continued. "I don't want to leave Phoenix. And I'll have to. One day."

Mia felt her sister's tears through her shirt. She'd had her own taste of tragic love and she had hoped her sister would never have to know what a broken heart felt like. Before long, she was crying too. For lots of things. Maya, her mother, Diego, herself. Mia Fey had known a lot of heartache.

"You staying?" Maya croaked eventually.

"Uh huh." Mia answered. "You, me and a single bed. Just like old times."

Maya smiled gratefully.

"You used to stay with me all the time after Mom left." Maya remembered.

"I wanted you to know that you weren't alone. That I'd always be there." Mia said softly. For reasons beyond her control, Mia had to break that promise, and that hurt. Nonetheless, Maya smiled.

"Someone else said that to me recently." Maya said. Mia smiled. She knew straight away who that would have been.

"I meant it when I said he would save everyone in the end." Mia said gently.

Maya said nothing, just hugged her sister tighter. Mia rested her head against Maya's.

"Especially you." She whispered softly.

* * *

Maya was still asleep when Phoenix headed into the kitchen the morning after Mia's visit. A folded piece of paper on the table with his name on it caught his attention. It was Mia's handwriting. He picked up the note and read it to himself. It didn't say much at all, but what it did say was enough.

"_I approve._

_Take care of her, Phoenix._

_I trust you."_

Phoenix smiled and slipped the note into his pocket.

Mia always knew exactly what to say.

* * *

**A/N: Awwwwwwwwwww XD. Hey is it just me, or did Morgan come off like a Bond villain right there at the end? If she had laughed heartily and been petting a cat, it would have been perfect! LULZ.**


	15. No Turning Back

**A/N: Sorry it's been so long! Thanks for keepin on reading you guyz! I can feel the love in this room. Can you feel the love?**

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* * *

**

Mia parked the truck in front of Lucas's garage and climbed out. A sharp pain spread across her forehead and she squinted and rubbed her temples. She'd been occupying Pearl's body for close to twenty four hours now. Pearl's conscious spirit was beginning to reject the intrusion. It was natural for that to happen. She was lucky that Pearl was so advanced for her age. Other girls around her age could usually only maintain contact for an hour or so, but Pearl was training far above her peer group. Although Maya lacked confidence in her abilities, she had been much the same. A child prodigy. At Maya's current level, she could hold on to a departed visitor for close to a week.

Mia cursed under her breath. She probably only had another half an hour at best, before Pearl turned back into herself. She would have to finish what she was doing quickly. The head pains were getting closer and closer together. She had nearly driven clean off the road a couple of times while making the trip back. The pain was meant to signify to the spirit guest that they had overstayed their welcome and that the host was reaching their limit and needed their body back in order to rest. It also prevented a summoned spirit from taking over their host permanently. Normally, a summoned spirit would depart at any sign of strong pain – there was no pain in the spirit world and those who had crossed over had no desire to experience it once again. It was a brilliant deterrent, although today, Mia felt it was a huge nuisance.

She bit down hard on her lip as another pain wrenched through her forehead. She couldn't leave yet. She had to warn someone about Andre and his connection to Morgan. Althea Fey would be her best bet, but Mia knew that Althea didn't like her, or her family, due to her mother's disappearance. Mia wracked her brain for the right answer. All of a sudden, it came to her.

"_Lillian."_ She thought to herself. _"Lillian will listen to me."_

Although she would have to explain that what Maya told her on the phone last night wasn't completely true, Pearl's guardian, Lillian Fey, would definitely listen to what she had to say, without a doubt. Lillian was also a council member and had been Mia's nanny as a child. She had also cared for Maya until she was old enough to look after herself. Her bond with the Fey sisters was strong and she would do whatever was necessary to protect them.

Reaching through the window of the truck, she placed the keys on the drivers' seat and headed away from Lucas's house and back towards Fey Manor. The manor gardens were empty, just as she had expected they would be. The pain was getting worse, but she just had to hang in there long enough to talk to Lillian. Maybe she could instruct Lillian to get Pearl to channel her again tomorrow.

As she approached the Manor, she heard the sound of the main gate being opened. Ducking behind a building, Mia was surprised to see Andre Fey heading up the path. He shuffled casually and carried a white envelope in his left hand. Mia moved further back into the shadows so he wouldn't see her as he passed. As soon has he was a safe distance away, she abandoned her hiding spot in order to follow him.

Mia's brow furrowed as he bypassed the main house and headed towards the small caretaker cottage that Lillian lived in.

"_What exactly is he up to?"_ she thought. She was starting to get really worried about this.

She watched Andre knock on the front door and enter the house after Lillian greeted him. Once he was inside, Mia snuck around the back, hiding herself by leaning against the wall next to the open kitchen window.

"Andre dear, what brings you here?" she heard Lillian ask. Andre went on to tell her that he had a letter to deliver from Althea which concerned the upcoming Elder Committee meeting. Mia heard her thank him, before he offered to go and make her a cup of tea. Lillian accepted.

"_So far, nothing odd here..."_Mia thought to herself. She sighed. _"I guess not everything Andre does is part of some sinister plan..."_

She heard Andre rattling around in the kitchen and sunk down lower against the wall. She didn't want him to see her. She would just wait until he left to speak to Lillian. Right on cue, a splitting pain ran through her forehead. She hoped he left soon. She didn't have much time.

"Oh... oh my goodness..." Mia heard from inside the house. "Andre, please help me!"

That was Lillian! Mia stood up straight, listening further.

"What is it Lillian? What's the matter?"

That was Andre. Did he actually sound sincere for once?

"Please, my pills...they are behind you. I think I'm having a heart attack!"

Mia's eyes widened. All desire to conceal her whereabouts vanished in an instant. She sprinted as fast as she could around the side of the house and up the front steps. Panic and desperation filled her completely. Tears were starting to form in her eyes. She flung the door open, bursting into the small lounge room. But she was too late.

Lillian Fey was dead.

Andre stood by, completely calm. He turned to look at her, his expression impassive.

"Catch." He said simply, tossing a small object towards her. Mia caught it. It was a small crystal bottle. Her breath caught when she realised what it must have contained. She dropped it to the floor immediately, as if it had burned her hand. It bounced on the carpet and rolled back towards Andre. He made no move to retrieve it.

Mia swallowed hard. She looked up at Andre, her eyes wide with shock.

"You... you did this!" she cried. Before he had a chance to answer, Mia turned and ran. She ran as fast as her legs would take her towards the main house. She dashed through the halls until she reached her mothers office. Slamming the door shut and locking it, she ran to the phone and dialled the number of her old office. It rang a few times. Her heart was pounding.

"C'mon...Phoenix, where are you?" Mia said impatiently.

"Hello, Wright & Co Law Offices. Maya Fey speaking" the voice on the other end of the line chirped.

"Maya!" Mia yelled into the phone.

"Mia? What's the matter?" Maya asked.

"Maya! Oh god. Lillian! Lillian's dead!" Mia rambled.

"What?" Maya gasped. "Mia, what's going on?"

"Andre! He... oh god, he..." Mia began sobbing. There was no response from Maya.

"Hello?" Mia asked. "Maya? Hello?"

She tapped the receiver cradle repeatedly. She couldn't get a dial tone. The phone was dead. She spun around as she heard the lock on the office door click. Mia froze. She hadn't checked to see if the key was in the lock on the other side of the door. Andre opened the door, grinning at her triumphantly. He threw the key at her feet.

"I cut the line..." he said, holding up a pocket knife. "This is my father's. I took it from his truck yesterday morning. Quite lucky don't you think?"

Mia stood her ground, eyeing the young man warily. Her body tensed. She had no idea why he was telling her the things that he was. Was he crazy? She didn't know, but she felt ready to spring to action at a moments notice. She had to protect Pearl at all costs.

Andre casually twirled the knife between his fingers. He smiled to himself. The only way out of that room was behind him, and Mia had to get past him to get to it. He knew she wouldn't risk any harm to Pearl. He had her trapped.

Mia cried out as another sharp pain coursed through her head. Andre's Cheshire cat grin grew even larger. Things just kept on getting better.

"She's at her limit, isn't she?" Andre asked Mia.

Mia steeled her expression and said nothing.

"You don't have long left, _Mystic_ Mia." He spat.

"You wouldn't hurt Pearl. She's your sister. She's a child." Mia stammered. She'd never felt so afraid.

"The spoiled brat that mother loves best? Why wouldn't I want to hurt her?" Andre asked incredulously.

"You can still get away with murder, Andre. If you hurt Pearl, it will all be over." Mia pleaded. "Let Pearl go. She has done nothing." Mia felt tears well up in her eyes. If only she hadn't come here. If only he hadn't seen her. Pearl was going to die because she was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Andre shook his head, and started laughing. His laughter sent shivers down Mia's spine. He really was crazy.

"Mia." He finally said. "You were a lawyer. You should know that you always have to have an alternate plan of attack. There always has to be a plan B."

Still shaking, Mia raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?" she asked warily.

"This knife." Andre said, twirling the object again. "It's not for Pearl."

"I don't understand," Mia said. "If you hurt me, you hurt her."

Andre shook his head. "I'm going to make sure no one channels you ever again."

Mia gasped as Andre plunged the blade into his own shoulder. He grimaced at the pain as she stood there, frozen, mouth agape. Then he lunged at her, knocking her off balance. His blood smeared across her shirt. In the few short seconds before she hit the floor, Mia realised exactly what he had done. The impact of her hitting the floor at this late stage of Pearl's channelling would be enough to sever the spirit tie. Her prints were on the crystal bottle. Lucas would claim the knife missing from his truck.

Andre was going to pin this whole thing on her.

* * *

Maya sat her desk, taking notes from one of the channelling texts that she had borrowed from the library. She still spent time studying, but as long as it wasn't the only thing she ever did and she didn't pass on any more burgers, Phoenix told her he didn't have a problem with it. He promised to tell her if she was pushing herself too hard. He even claimed that if she slipped back to her old ways he would throw her over his shoulder and drag her outside to go and do something fun.

Maya giggled at the thought of that happening. She had told him that it definitely wouldn't have to come to that, but deep down she found the idea of Phoenix carrying her off caveman style rather amusing. Although, she could never tell him that. It was bad enough having to face him this morning after Mia's efforts last night. Phoenix hadn't mentioned a thing though. She was glad.

He had tried to get her to go out and help him do the grocery shopping, but she had declined, opting to take a little study time while he was gone. She had argued that doing the groceries wasn't fun anyway and that she would put the books away when he returned. That was good enough for him.

The phone on Phoenix's desk rang, snapping her out of her thoughts. Casually, she wandered over to pick it up.

"Hello, Wright & Co Law Offices. Maya Fey speaking" she answered cheerily. Maybe this was a potential client.

"Maya!" Her sisters' voice on the other end of the line was frantic.

"Mia? What's the matter?" Maya asked, an unsettling feeling starting to grow in her stomach.

"Maya! Oh god. Lillian! Lillian's dead!" Mia rambled.

"What?" Maya gasped. "Mia, what's going on?" Her heart started hammering. How? Why?

"Andre! He..."

Then silence.

"Mia? Mia, hello? Mia, are you there?" Maya cried frantically. She hung up the phone and redialled the number.

Busy signal.

Hanging up, she tried again.

Busy signal again.

Her heart was pounding and her breathing uneven. She began to sob. She dialled again.

Still the busy signal.

Shaking, she buried her head in her hands. What was she going to do? Fey Manor was the only place in Kurain with a phone. She dialled Phoenix's cell.

"Forget something Maya? I'm buying more pudding." Phoenix said as he answered the phone.

"Nick!" she cried desperately.

"Maya? What's wrong?" Phoenix asked, panic in his voice.

"Nick, please come back now. I don't know what to do!" Maya sobbed.

"I'm on my way. I'll be two minutes." He said resolutely.

Phoenix turned around and dashed out of the supermarket, leaving his cart full of shopping behind. He sprinted up the street in the direction of the office.

"_Maya... please be okay."_

Groceries could wait.

* * *

Pearl Fey opened her eyes to find her cousin Andre sitting across from her, bleeding from a wound on his shoulder. A bloody knife sat on the floor across from her. She blinked a few times. She was tired and confused. She didn't know where she was, or why she was wearing clothes that didn't fit her.

"Andre! What happened!?" she asked, frowning. She was scared.

"Mystic Mia..." Andre spluttered. "She went crazy. She attacked me. And she... and she..."

Andre began to cry. Pearl ran to his side.

"What is it, Andre?" she said, placing a small hand on his unwounded shoulder.

"She killed Mystic Lillian!" Andre sobbed, crying openly.

Pearl sunk to the floor. She had channelled Mystic Mia, and Mystic Mia had... she had killed Mystic Lillian?

"No..." Pearl said shaking her head. "No, Mystic Mia wouldn't do that..."

"I'm so sorry Mystic Pearl," Andre said softly, wincing at the pain in his shoulder for extra effect. "I don't know why she did this..."

Pearl was silent for a moment as she tried to understand what Andre was telling her. She didn't think he would lie about anything like that, and everything around her was seemingly proof of his claims against Mia. Her lip started to tremble as the reality of what had happened started to sink in.

"It's all my fault!" Pearl said, bursting into tears. "I'm so sorry Andre! It's all my fault!"

She buried her head in Andre's shoulder and he wrapped his uninjured arm around the small girl.

"Shh little Pearl..." he soothed. "It wasn't you, it was Mystic Mia. We just have to make sure no one channels her ever again."

Pearl sniffed and nodded, tears still streaming down her little face.

"I'm so confused. What do we do? We need to contact Mystic Maya." she said softly.

"Help me up," Andre asked. "First we need to go find Mystic Althea and tell her about this tragedy. Then we'll contact the master."

* * *

Phoenix burst through the office door and found Maya standing behind his desk, tears falling fast as she dialled the phone. Frustrated, she let out a small grunt. She slammed the receiver down, before picking it up and dialling again.

"Maya, what's going on?" Phoenix asked.

"Something bad. Something bad has happened..." she managed to stammer before turning her attention back to the phone. "Why doesn't the phone work? Argh!"

She slammed the receiver down again. Phoenix walked around behind his desk and placed his hands on her shoulders, turning her around to face him.

"Maya, I need you to calm down for a second and tell me what happened, okay? I can't help if I don't know what's going on." He said calmly.

She paused for a moment, trying her hardest to compose herself. She couldn't do it. She flung herself against him, sobbing into his shoulders. He wrapped an arm around her, and stroked her hair soothingly.

"Mia..." she started, her voice cracking. "Mia rang. She said Lillian was dead. Then she said Andre's name... then... then the phone cut out." She sobbed.

Phoenix's shoulders stiffened in surprise. He led Maya over to the couch and sat her down. He had to try and remain calm to get more information out of her. He took a deep breath before speaking again.

"Who is Lillian?" he asked gently. Maya sniffed.

"She's Pearl's legal guardian. She was my nanny too. She's a council member." She replied. Phoenix handed her a tissue and she began to wipe her eyes.

"Do you think Mia was trying to tell you that Andre had something to do with it?"

"I don't know. I'm just scared that something happened to Pearl. The phone went dead!" Maya said, breaking into a fresh fit of sobs. Phoenix stroked her back, wondering what on earth this poor girl had done to attract such heartache.

"Do you want to go to Kurain? We can get the next train." Phoenix offered.

Maya was about to answer when her cell phone started ringing. Startled, she jumped to answer it.

"Hello?" Maya said quickly. "Mia?"

"Hello Mystic Maya," an elderly woman's voice said gently. "This is Mystic Marion. I'm afraid I'm calling you with some bad news."

Mystic Marion was another of Kurain's elders. While she was a sweet woman it was no secret that she always followed Althea's every request.

"Mystic Marion, what is going on?" Maya asked worriedly.

"It's Lillian, dear. I'm afraid she has passed. Mystic Althea instructed me to give you this message. She has asked that you return to Kurain tomorrow."

"What... what happened?" Maya stammered.

"I'm afraid I don't know, dear. All I know is that she is no longer with us. Such a terrible tragedy..."

"Pearl! Is Pearly okay?" Maya asked frantically.

"Mystic Pearl is quite upset. She is resting right now." Marion answered.

Maya breathed a sigh of relief. Pearl was okay.

"Mystic Marion, I have been trying to call the phone at the main house and have been unable to get through. Is there a problem with the phone?" Maya asked, some of her composure returning.

"Yes dear, the line is down. It was fortunate that one of our channelling appointments brought her cell phone with her today. She graciously allowed me to borrow it to contact you." Marion replied.

"I see." Maya said. "Tell Althea that I will be there tomorrow morning."

"I will, dear." Marion said simply.

Maya hung up the phone and slumped back down on the couch. She turned to face Phoenix, who was watching her with a concerned expression.

"Pearls is okay?" he asked hopefully. Maya looked away and nodded in response. She didn't know what to say. Everything just kept on getting worse.

"But you're not okay... are you?" Phoenix asked, placing his hand on top of hers.

Maya turned to look at him again. She frowned slightly before shaking her head to signify no. Her shoulders slumped and new tears began to fall. Phoenix pulled her into his embrace as she cried. He pressed his lips gently against her the top of her head, trying his hardest to soothe her sobs.

He pursed his lips together. He was so furious he could barely hold it in. What right did that stupid insignificant village have to break this girl over and over? He continued to stroke her arm as he mulled over his own anger.

These people, her people, just expected her to weather the harshest storms as if it was her duty. They didn't help her. They didn't support her. There was never any recognition for hard work, only the expectation of her to do more. She needed support. She needed a rock.

Tomorrow, they would go to Kurain, and whether the elders liked him or not, he was going to support Maya every step of the way.


	16. The Night Brings Darkness

**A/N: Its Wednesday. And you know what that means. Update!**

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Phoenix and Maya sat in silence for quite some time. Eventually, her tears ceased and a thoughtful silence enveloped them both as the sun began its daily descent, casting an orange glow over the office.

She didn't feel like talking. Really, what was there to be said? The conversation she was having in her mind felt old and tired. Overused. She could cry and moan about how it wasn't fair, but that was never going to change anything. She could kick and scream about how she didn't want this burden, but that wasn't going to make it go away. She needed to be strong but she wasn't sure that she could be. The arm around her shoulders was strong though, along with the will of the man it belonged to. She took comfort in that fact.

She glanced sideways at Phoenix, who seemed lost in his own thoughts as he stared out the window. He would be going with her to Kurain. She knew he would stand behind her and give her all the strength he could.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Althea and the rest of the Elders... all they ever saw her as was some little kid. She could be bullied, pushed around and manipulated to do their bidding. They knew that she wasn't ready to be the master. They knew she would rather be with Phoenix, and they used this to their advantage. She'd been through so much. She was just the poor little lamb that her own family knowingly lead to the slaughter.

Maya was kind. Accepting. Accommodating. But how would they react if she wasn't? Maya tensed her jaw. She had to change, at least in their eyes, but she couldn't do it on her own.

"Nick?" she asked softly, breaking the silence.

"Hmm?" he answered quietly.

"I'm not going to let them push me around anymore."

Phoenix sighed as a soft smile spread across his lips. He squeezed her shoulder as he placed light kiss atop her head.

"That's my girl." He murmured into her hair, causing her to smile.

"You'll be there with me, won't you?" she asked hopefully.

"Every step of the way." He responded earnestly.

* * *

Althea Fey rubbed her temples.

"_What a mess."_ She thought sadly to herself. The suspicious death of an Elder, the wounding of a respected member of the community and yet again the Master was not here to deal with any of it. And even more concerning, it had once again been a lawyer at the centre of the controversy.

Althea had always thought Mia Fey to be a bad apple; needless to say she had not been pleased to discover that both Maya and Pearl had been channelling that harlot to help their other lawyer friend with his cases. That other lawyer... Wright, was it? He would be a problem too and would likely be accompanying the Master when she returned tomorrow.

Scowling as she completed the necessary preparations, Althea began the ritual that would prevent Mia Fey from being summoned by anyone of any level. She knew that Maya would be in complete disbelief about her sisters' actions, but the evidence that she could see was very much against Mia. Maya should understand evidence... her lawyer friend seemed to rely on it so much. Who knows what would happen if she attempted to channel Mia again, or manipulated poor little Pearl into taking on the task?

Althea closed her eyes as she began chanting the necessary words. She scrawled Mia's name on the parchment in front of her, before rolling it up and placing it in a small black box, along with a photo of Mia. Opening her eyes, she closed the box and locked it with a large red psyche lock. Maya was not at a level to be able to undo this lock; in fact, it wouldn't even be visible to her. There was only one other person who would be able to undo the lock, but the odds of her even stepping foot in Kurain ever again were slim to none. It was not something to cause Althea any concern.

Placing the box back in its allotted space in the vault, Althea sighed to herself. It was done.

Mia Fey's spirit block was in place.

* * *

"So I was thinking..." Phoenix began as he returned to the couch, handing Maya the soda he had brought with him.

"And you tell me if you think it's a stupid idea..." he added before continuing, "but maybe you could channel Mia, and I could talk to her and tell you what she says? That is, if you're up to it..."

Maya shook her head in disbelief.

"Nick, you're a genius! Why didn't I think of that?" she asked animatedly. Phoenix smiled.

"Well I wouldn't go that far, and you probably didn't think of it because you've got so much on your mind..."

"Never mind that. Just be quiet so I can concentrate." Maya said with small smile, cutting him off. She closed her eyes and commenced her meditative stance. It only took a few moments before Mia was sitting before Phoenix.

"Oh, Phoenix am I glad to see you!" Mia said in a relieved tone. "How is Maya? Is she doing okay?"

Phoenix nodded.

"She'll be fine. But we need to know what happened."

"It was Andre." Mia said, her face contorting into a scowl. "He killed Lillian. Poisoned her."

"What?" Phoenix said, surprised. "How?"

"I don't know." Mia said, shaking her head. "Something in a small bottle. He tricked me into putting my prints on it." She finished sadly.

Phoenix gulped, and Mia could understand why. A little bottle like the one she just mentioned had almost once cost him his life.

"Why would he do that?" Phoenix asked.

"He's going to pin the whole thing on me. He even went as far as to stab himself in the shoulder. If they think I did it, they'll put a spirit block on me and I won't be able to be summoned. I'm the only witness, Phoenix. He'll get away with it." Mia said, frowning.

"This is a lot to take in, Mia." He said, taking a deep breath. His shoulders slumped slightly. "This is serious business. I never thought Andre would be capable of murder. Maya is in real danger."

"I know. You need to protect her, Phoenix."

"I will... but I'm just at a loss for what to do about Andre. Everything seems stacked against us." He said with a sigh.

"It's never been any different." Mia agreed sadly. "The only thing I can think of is you have to find a way to prove the link between Andre and Morgan. Althea might support him now, but she'll turn her back on him at the first sign of him bringing Kurain into disrepute."

Suddenly, Mia stopped. She squinted and rubbed her forehead.

"Oww..." she said, before recognition set in. She froze.

"What? What is it?" Phoenix said quickly.

"I'm being removed. Althea must have set the spirit block."

"Oh, great." Phoenix said, exasperated.

Mia was fading. She rushed to get out everything she had to say. Phoenix listened intently.

"I don't have much time. Tell Maya that all the information that she needs to take them all down is hidden in the vault. It's all connected. Especially Hazakurain. I found a lot of stuff when I was researching what might have happened to my mother. There's also an unmarked file in the filing cabinet here behind all the other files. Those are my notes, they might help."

Phoenix nodded as he made a mental note of all she had told him.

"Please Phoenix, protect her. Tell her I love her."

That was the last thing Phoenix heard Mia say before she dematerialised and Maya was once again sitting before him, looking at him expectantly.

"What did she say?" Maya asked, biting her lip.

Phoenix sighed and shook his head.

"It's a good thing you're already sitting down..." he started.

* * *

"What do you mean you had to change the plan!!?"

"Relax, mother. It worked out even better than even you could have planned for." Andre said calmly into the cell phone.

Morgan was irate. Andre explained what had happened, and how he had to deviate from their original arrangement.

"How many times have I told you that the plan is of utmost importance? We must stick to the plan! Now you've gone and created variables that I have to factor in... There's no telling where things will go from here." Morgan fumed.

"I'm telling you, things are still completely on track. No one suspects me of a thing, and as an added bonus, we no longer have Mia Fey meddling in our business. Everything is moving along as it should be." Andre said. "You know, I'm a little hurt that you're not more proud of me for thinking so quickly under pressure." He finished.

"Well you wouldn't have needed to if you had been careful enough to have not been followed in the first place, Andre!" Morgan snapped back.

Andre rolled his eyes.

"Yes, mother." He responded.

"Good boy." Morgan said, pleased that he had once again agreed with her. "Give it a few days for everything to settle down. Call me on Friday and I will instruct you with what to do next."

"Maya will be here tomorrow." Andre said. "Althea requested her return and she agreed."

"It won't be permanent. I bet she will have the lawyer with her too." Morgan said. "Do your best to make her look incompetent while she is in Kurain, although I suspect she will do a fine job of that herself."

"Understood." Andre said with a nod. "Mother?" he added after a slight pause.

"Yes, Andre?"

"Do you think that maybe I could come and visit you sometime, and we could just talk? Not about the plan or anything... just... I don't know. Like we used to." He asked sheepishly.

"Don't be ridiculous Andre. Not only do we not have time for that right now, but it's far too risky."

"You're right, it is." Andre agreed quickly.

"You must get going now Andre. I will speak to you in three days." Morgan said seriously.

"Okay, Goodb-" The engaged signal cut off the rest of his farewell to his mother.

"Goodbye, Mother." He finished with a whisper, as he stared at the now dimmed screen of his cell phone. He sighed before slipping it into his pocket and heading back towards the main house.

Unbeknownst to him, someone had been standing quite close by, and had heard every word of his conversation.

* * *

"So..." Maya began. "I can't call my sis anymore? Not ever?"

Her voice was quiet and somewhat strained. She had sat quietly while Phoenix had filled her in on the details of Mia's visit. Phoenix watched her sadly. It was hurting him to see her in so much emotional turmoil – he couldn't even begin to understand how hard all of this was on her.

"I don't know. You would know more about this kind of thing than I do." Phoenix said softly. "I'm sure we can find someone to remove the block."

"Hmm." Maya said, half heartedly before resuming her silence.

She stared straight ahead, not fixating on anything in particular. It was that same blank, numb look. The one she wore after her mothers' death. The expression that said Maya just couldn't deal right now. Phoenix didn't know what to say. He'd given her a lot of information to process. That's probably what she was doing right now.

Maya let out a breath that she had been holding, before standing up. Phoenix stood as well in a somewhat protective manner, waiting on her next move.

"I think I'm just going to go to bed." Maya said flatly. Phoenix reached for her, but she put her hand up to signify that she was alright.

"I'm fine, Nick. I think I just need some rest." She said before turning and heading towards the stairs.

He watched her leave, before flopping back down on the couch. He rubbed his face. He felt fatigued, but it was more emotional than physical. It was too early to sleep yet though. Remembering again what Mia said earlier, he decided to see if he could find that file she was talking about. Perhaps if he had a flick through it, he might be of more help to Maya.

He made his way over to his desk and opened the top drawer of the cabinet. Rummaging around at the back, he found what he had been looking for. He wondered silently how he had never come across this particular file before. The folder was thick and held closed by a large rubber band. Phoenix sat the file down on his desk before clicking the lamp on and taking a seat.

There was a lot of DL-6 information in the folder. Phoenix wondered if any of that would come in handy. There were also a lot of bank statements that he didn't quite understand. Letters of correspondence between Mia and various government agencies along with a flyer for a book signing by Elise Deauxnim...

"_Mia sure was hot on the trail..."_ Phoenix thought, surprised.

He picked up a large white envelope that hadn't been sealed. Inside were a pile of photographs. Phoenix smiled when he saw what the photos depicted. The first was a family portrait of Mia, Maya, their father and Misty. Scrutinising the photos, Phoenix decided that Maya looked like her mother, whereas Mia looked more like their father. He had never seen Maya's father before. He didn't even know his name, or how he had died. He set the picture aside and picked up the next. It was a picture of Misty holding a baby, which Phoenix presumed to be Maya, judging from the child's black hair.

"_Maya was such a cute baby..."_ he thought to himself with a smile.

The next picture was one of Mia. She looked about ten years old, and was laughing as a man carried her over his shoulder. He couldn't see them man's face, because the picture was taken from behind, but his brown hair told Phoenix that it was probably her father.

The last picture in the envelope was more recent. It was Maya and Mia, grinning broadly as they hugged each other with Mia's arm outstretched having taken the photo herself. Maya looked the same age as she was when he had met her. This mustn't have been long before Mia died. He sighed. He'd never actually seen the two of them together when she was alive, but he knew Mia loved Maya very much indeed. Phoenix remembered that he had an old frame upstairs that would fit this photo perfectly. He decided to frame it and leave it in Maya's room.

A notepad full of random scrawling was also in the folder, but without Mia around to make sense of it, Phoenix was more than a little stumped as to what it could all mean.

Morgan's name was in the book, underlined dramatically. Phoenix wished that Mia had been more organised with her note taking. Phone numbers and other random words also made no sense to him.

The words "Hazakurain Incident" stood out from the rest of the page. Phoenix blinked in surprise. This had been written at least three years ago. There had been another incident at Hazakurain?

Luciana Armando? Audrina Fey? What did these names mean?

A letter typed on yellowing paper slipped out from the back of the notebook. Phoenix picked it up and began to read.

"_Dear Mia,_

_Due to your unfortunate connection with Diego Armando, the Kurain Elder Council and I have decided that it is in the best interest of the village if you would refrain from visiting. While we are not officially prohibiting you from entering the village, we would like to think that you understand our actions and will respect our wishes accordingly._

_Your sister will be sent to stay with you for visitation once per month. You may arrange this by phone. _

_Should your circumstances change, we may be able to review our decision. _

_Sincerely,_

_Althea Fey_

_On behalf of the Kurain Council of Elders."_

Phoenix was stunned. They had prevented Mia from visiting Maya? That would explain why she had never gone back to Kurain while he had worked for her. Nor had she mentioned anything about her spiritual background.

And Diego Armando? That was Godot! What did he have to do with Kurain, or any of this for that matter? Was this Luciana related to him in some way?

Putting the file back down on the desk, Phoenix stretched and looked at his watch. He decided it was time to go to bed, especially since they had a rather busy day ahead of them tomorrow. He picked up the photo of Maya and Mia and headed upstairs to find that frame.

* * *

Pearl Fey sat on her bed in the darkened room, knees drawn up to her chest. Her plush Blue Badger that Scruffy Detective had given her was pulled close to her in a tight hug. She sniffed.

"Mystic Mia...there's no way you could have done this, is there?" she asked no one in particular.

"_Mystic Maya and Mr. Nick will be here tomorrow."_ She thought to herself as she lay back down on her pillow. _"They will make everything better."_

* * *

Phoenix changed into his pyjamas and picked up the photo frame he had just put together for Maya. He planned to go and check on her before going to bed. He would leave this on her bedside table for her to find in the morning.

He trudged up the hallway and opened her door softly. The light from the streetlamp outside streamed through the window and he could see that she wasn't sleeping. She sat lengthways across her bed, legs outstretched and back against the wall. She looked over at him as he entered the room.

"I just came to check on you..." Phoenix said. She smiled weakly, but said nothing. "How come you aren't sleeping?" he asked, moving across the room.

"Nightmares." She said simply. "The nightmares are back. Just like after my mother died."

Phoenix sat down on the bed, shuffling back and leaning against the wall so that he was shoulder to shoulder with her.

"I brought you a present." he said, handing her the frame.

Maya smiled, touching the glass gently.

"Where did you find this?" She asked, her soft smile evident in her voice.

"In the file Mia was talking about. There's some more pictures of your family in there too. Even your Dad."

Maya said nothing, but leaned her head against Phoenix's shoulder. She clutched lightly at the frame.

"You know," she said softly. "Not only is Lillian gone, but Mia's really gone too. I actually have to deal with her death now."

Phoenix took her hand in his and squeezed it gently. He'd never actually realised that. With Mia always contactable, it was like she hadn't really gone anywhere. But now...

"We'll get her back." Phoenix said, hoping to god he sounded more convincing than he felt. He needed to be positive for Maya.

"I don't think I can do this, Nick." She said softly.

"Yes you can." He reassured her.

They sat there for a few moments, before Phoenix found himself yawning.

"You need to get some sleep." He said, covering his mouth as he yawned again. "And so do I. We have to leave early tomorrow."

Maya looked up at him with a pleading expression. He knew she didn't want to go back to sleep, and she didn't want him to leave her in her room alone. He cast a quick glance at her single bed. That would be an uncomfortable night for sure. There was only one other solution. Besides, it wasn't like it would be anything new. With a soft sigh he stood.

"Cmon." He said, extending his hand. Slightly puzzled, Maya took it and he pulled her to her feet. He led her out of her room and up the hallway towards his room. She stood for a moment, unsure of what to do when Phoenix walked over to his bed and pulled back the covers. But by the time he had climbed into bed, she had headed around the other side and climbed in next to him. She settled herself next to him, head resting on his shoulder. She draped an arm over his chest as he settled a hand on her waist. She closed her eyes, snuggling against him.

Phoenix knew she was exhausted. The emotional events of the day had taken their toll on her and if he had just left her in her room, she wouldn't have slept at all. He looked down at her, feeling a strange mixture of concern, compassion, love and attraction. He could kiss her right now. Heck, he wanted to kiss her right now, but as much as he knew that she would be responsive to such an action, he knew it would be an utterly selfish thing to do.

She had enough to deal with right now. Having to deal with changes in their relationship at this point in time would just add to her emotional load. He couldn't have that on his conscience. He would wait for the right time. There was no need to rush anything. Maya made him feel a sort of calm that was completely uncharacteristic. Something on a bizarre instinctual level told him that he had forever with this woman, and that everything would fall into place.

"Nick?"

Maya's small voice surprised him. He thought she was asleep already.

"Yeah?" he whispered.

"Have you ever wished things were completely different?" she asked softly. He'd asked Iris that same question that night on the bridge. He wondered what was going through her mind to have prompted such thoughts. It was true, there had been some very difficult points in his life that he had wanted to just wish away, but looking down at the beautiful girl next to him, he knew that this wasn't one of them.

"Not right now." He said, tightening his grip on her waist. He felt her smile against his shoulder. Before long, she was asleep.

Not too long after that, the combined effects of shared body warmth and the steady heartbeat of the woman in his embrace also lulled Phoenix into a peaceful slumber.

His last thought, before falling asleep, was that he had to think up some excuse to get Maya to sleep here permanently.

Surely she wouldn't need much convincing.


	17. Kurain's Master

**It's late (12.40am yo) and this chapter is late (by five days) but I wanted to get it up. It's shorter than usual and I'm not completely happy with it. That's why I've held off on posting it. Might edit it later.**

**cheeserp9: Haha yeah, it was going to be a short story and then it grew into this!**

**Cover your eyes kiddies, the beginning of this chapter might be considered a little bit saucy! XD**

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"Maya..."

His voice was barely a whisper. She could feel the soft warmth of his breath on her neck as he whispered in her ear. His nose grazed her earlobe.

"Maya, it's time to wake up."

Her eyes snapped open when she registered the gentle pressure of his lips just below her ear.

"Nick?" she managed to breathe. "What are you doing?"

Her breath caught in her throat as he slid a hand up her thigh, bringing it to rest on her hip. Her heart hammered in her chest. She gulped. Turning to face him, she was surprised by his somewhat predatory smirk.

Then he kissed her.

She froze for a moment, before the shock of his sudden movement wore off and her brain finally registered what was happening. Her body relaxed, and she began to respond, kissing him back just as eagerly. She clutched at his shirt, while her other hand made its way up to his neck. She curled her fingers into his hair, pulling him down with her as she sunk further into the pillow.

She felt dizzy. Her heart was pounding and so was his. She could completely understand what they meant in the movies when they talked about seeing fireworks... she'd never felt anything like this. Every inch of her body felt like it was going crazy.

He stroked her cheek before finally breaking their kiss. Breathing heavy, he studied her face before smiling softly.

"Maya, you really should wake up."

She frowned slightly, confused.

"I am awake." She said, still trying to catch her breath.

Phoenix sat up, leaning on his elbow. He shook his head.

"I'm afraid you aren't." He said simply before grinning at her.

"You mean..." Maya trailed off.

* * *

Maya woke suddenly to find herself staring at the ceiling in Phoenix's bedroom. Reflexively she reached over to his side of the bed. It was empty, and the sheets were cold. He had been gone for some time.

"Damn it." She muttered, annoyed at herself for having such an inappropriate dream. She sat up, pulling the sheet with her. Shaking her head, she brought a hand up to her cheek, feeling the heat radiating off her skin.

"What are you, fourteen? Get a grip Maya!" she reprimanded herself.

Suddenly, the bedroom door flung open, and Phoenix walked into the room.

"Aaaagh!" Maya yelled, the sudden intrusion startling her. She clutched at the sheet she had already pulled up to her chest. Phoenix raised an eyebrow at her.

"You okay?" he asked. "You look kinda flushed. You're not sick are you?"

"I'm okay." She said shakily, in a voice that didn't sound like her own. Confused, she brought a hand up to cover her mouth, making a small 'meep' noise. Phoenix continued to look at her strangely.

"You sure?" he asked again. Maya nodded over enthusiastically. Phoenix took a seat on the edge of the bed.

"I was just coming to get you, anyway." He said calmly.

Images of her dream flashed through her mind. Maya's eyes widened and she felt herself blush.

"Why?" she asked, eyeing him seriously. Maybe it was because she woke up so suddenly, but she couldn't help feeling like she was still dreaming. She watched Phoenix warily, looking for anything out of the ordinary to confirm her suspicion.

Phoenix's brow furrowed. He was trying his hardest not to laugh. Maya was so weird right now.

"Because you really should wake up?" Phoenix said, raising his eyebrows and shrugging lightly. His statement was more of a question, seeking her approval. She narrowed her eyes at him.

"_Didn't he just say that in my dream?"_ Maya thought, alarmed. She opened her mouth to speak, but promptly snapped it shut again. What if she wasn't dreaming?

"What?" Phoenix asked, puzzled by her expression. With a sigh she sat up straight, turning away from him and swinging her legs over the side of the bed.

"Nothing." She mumbled under her breath, deciding she was probably awake and trying her best to regain some composure. "I'm up. I'm up." She said with a sigh.

"Good." He said, watching her as she crossed the room. "Train leaves in an hour."

"Mmm hmm." She murmured, heading towards the door.

"You're weird this morning Maya..." Phoenix said with a chuckle.

"Am not." She muttered as she headed out the door, towards the bathroom.

Phoenix heard the bathroom door close with a thud. He sighed deeply before flopping down on the bed, rubbing his eyes as he stared at the ceiling. He wondered why Maya was acting so strangely.

"_I hope it doesn't have anything to do with me…"_ he thought to himself. _"Maybe I freaked her out a little bit bringing her to sleep in here."_

He sat up, shaking his head at himself. That couldn't be it. This wasn't the first time they had woken up together. He glanced over at the nightstand on her side of the bed. The photo in the frame of Mia and Maya stood out amongst Phoenix's possessions. Maya must have still been holding it when she came into the room last night. Phoenix smiled.

"_Her side of the bed…"_ he thought with a small smile. _"I like the way that sounds."_

With a self satisfied expression on his face, Phoenix stood and headed out the door, passing the bathroom as he walked up the hallway. The shower was running, and he found himself fighting the completely inappropriate urge to sneak in and take a peek.

"Quit thinking like a teenager, Phoenix…" he chuckled to himself.

A rather explicit dream about Maya had forced him out of bed rather early in need of a cold shower. The last thing he needed was have to take another one.

* * *

Phoenix was relieved to find that Maya seemed back to her usual self after her shower. She finished packing quickly and the pair had made it to the train station with time to spare. The train trip to Kurain wasn't really noteworthy. It was no different than any other day. The two of them had made this trip many times before, and Phoenix felt like he knew the scenery almost by heart.

Maya had been in a pleasant enough mood and was quite talkative, although neither of them made mention of the previous nights sleeping arrangements. But Phoenix couldn't help but notice that as the landmarks outside the window began to signify that they were drawing closer to Kurain, Maya's sunny disposition seemed to slowly fade.

She was afraid, he knew that. He glanced over at her as the train pulled to a stop at Kurain's simple train station. His worried expression mirrored her own. He took her hand in his, giving it a light squeeze. She looked up at him, giving him a small, but grateful smile. She knew he was telling her that he was there for her and he knew that she was thanking him for that. No words were necessary.

"Here we are…" Maya said ominously. She took a deep breath, trying her best to prepare herself for the unpleasantness that she knew lay ahead.

"You ready?" Phoenix asked, concerned. Maya nodded.

As she stood, Phoenix noted significant changes in Maya's stature. She took on a posture completely different to the one she normally displayed. Her shoulders were back, and her chin lifted slightly. Her jaw tensed and her eyes hardened. Phoenix was amazed at how such small changes made such a significant difference. Gone was the sweet young girl with the innocent smile who had left his office this morning, the Maya that stood before him now was strong, determined and in control. She looked just like Mia before a big court case, but Maya definitely had a lot more at stake here than getting an innocent verdict. He remembered what she had said yesterday about not letting them push her around anymore. He smiled proudly.

This is what he had been waiting to see.

* * *

Phoenix leaned against the railing overlooking the winding way, where he usually waited for Maya when she was attending to business matters that "didn't concern him". He liked this spot. The view was nothing short of spectacular, and there really wasn't much else to do considering Maya had been dragged off to be fitted with her Master's robes. He wasn't even permitted to see Pearl.

Althea had been waiting for them as they exited the train, and Maya simply strode past her with her head held high. She didn't allow herself to be intimidated, and Phoenix felt extremely proud. Althea stared daggers at him, but he wasn't bothered by it. An icy reception in Kurain was something he had grown accustomed to over the years. The only people here that were ever happy to see him were Pearl and Maya.

"Mr Wright?"

Phoenix turned to see a woman who looked to be in her thirties dressed in acolyte robes.

"The Master will see you now. This way please." She said formally, head bowed. Phoenix nodded and followed.

The woman led him through the halls of the main house towards Maya's quarters, pausing outside the door. She motioned for him to enter, bowing her head once more. Phoenix slid the door open and stepped inside.

Maya stood on the far side of the room, with her back to Phoenix. She still maintained her regal posture, and her expression was serious as she turned to glance over her shoulder to see who had entered the room. Realising who it was, she smiled and allowed her shoulders to relax. She turned to face him.

"Oh, Nick! It's you!" she said with a grin. "Boy, am I glad to see you."

Phoenix tried to speak, but he couldn't find the words, so he simply stared.

"Nick…" Maya said, furrowing her brow. "What's wrong?"

"You… You look… you look…" Phoenix stammered.

"Silly?" Maya finished, raising an eyebrow.

"Incredible…" Phoenix said, letting out the breath he had been holding.

Maya looked down at her master's robes, smoothing out the rich purple satin of her kimono. It was long and well fitted, showing off a lithe figure that her acolyte robes had managed to conceal. Her hair had also been styled half up into a more elaborate knot, while the rest cascaded down her back. Phoenix was still staring. Maya couldn't help but smile.

"I actually think it's a little over the top…" she said with a shrug. Phoenix said nothing, just shook his head in disagreement. He looked around the room, a confused frown crossing his face.

"What is it?" Maya asked.

"My suitcase…" Phoenix began. "It was right here. It's got Mia's file in it…"

Maya went to speak again, but was interrupted by the sound of the door sliding open. Maya's expression hardened when she saw Althea Fey enter the room.

"I see the robes fit well." Althea said, forgoing any form of greeting.

"Althea." Maya said flatly. "I would assume that you didn't come here to compliment me on my wardrobe. Is there something you wish to speak to me about?"

Althea smiled, although there was nothing friendly about it.

"You are most correct, Mystic Maya. Although I do not wish to speak about Kurain business in front of _outsiders_." She said, casting a glance in Phoenix's direction.

"Mr Wright is serving as my legal counsel and will be accompanying me to all meetings during my stay. Anything you have to say can be said in front of him, in fact, I would prefer it." Maya said coldly. Phoenix raised his eyebrows in surprise. He didn't have a problem with it, but she hadn't mentioned it to him at all.

Althea scowled. Maya was proving to be very difficult. She wondered what prompted such a change in the normally submissive girl. It was no doubt the lawyer.

"Uhh… sorry to interrupt," Phoenix said sheepishly, hating that he had to speak to Althea at all, "but you wouldn't happen to know where my suitcase is, would you?"

Althea raised an eyebrow, looking contemptuously at Phoenix. Rather than answering him, she turned her attention back to Maya.

"I took the liberty of having Mr Wright's belongings moved to the guest rooms in the north wing." Althea said matter-of-factly.

"I asked you to do no such thing." Maya said, narrowing her eyes at the woman. "I would like them moved back immediately."

"But Mystic Maya," Althea started. "I hardly think it appropriate that Mr Wri-"

"It is not your place to tell me what you think is appropriate." Maya interrupted. "Mr Wright will stay in my quarters." She finished.

"But that is highly-" Althea argued.

"There will be no more discussion." Maya said, raising her voice slightly.

"Very well." Althea seethed. "You will be required in council chambers in exactly one hour."

She turned to leave the room, shooting Phoenix an icy glare.

"Don't keep us waiting." Althea said haughtily, exiting the room and closing the screen behind her.

Maya's eyes widened and her shoulders slumped as she flopped down in her chair. She let out a huge sigh.

"Wow." Phoenix said, shaking his head. "You were great!"

"You think?" she said nervously. "I was so scared." Maya shook her head. "I can't believe I stood up to her."

"You did great," Phoenix said with an appreciative smile. "You're really something, _Mystic Maya_." He said with a chuckle.

"You aren't so bad yourself, _Mr Wright_." Maya said with a grin.

* * *

Andre Fey knelt down on the grass, examining Althea's geraniums for any type of weeds growing amongst them. A shadow appeared behind him, blocking his sun. He turned to face the offender, stopping short of berating them when he realised who it was.

"Whatever you're up to, I will help you."

Andre blinked a few times.

"Althea… I, I don't know what you mean."

Althea shook her head.

"Drop the act, Andre. I heard you on your phone yesterday. I want to get rid of that disgrace of a master just as much as you do. Let me know what's going on."

Andre frowned.

Mother wasn't going to like this.


	18. Guilty Until Proven Innocent

**Hey you guyz! Sorry about my tardiness. I shouldn't have joked about not having swine flu a few chapters back because I actually DO have swine flu now! I'm not dying and it's just like a normal flu, 'cept I'm not allowed to go anywhere :( **

**Anywhoo, thanks to all my readers and reviewers and I hope you like this chapter. I like it!**

* * *

Andre slowly moved to his feet, brushing the dirt from his hands. He was a good foot taller than Althea, but despite the woman's diminutive stature, she cut quite the intimidating figure. He took a deep breath, wondering which direction to steer the conversation.

Should he accept the help that Althea was offering? She was definitely someone who could ensure his plan came to fruition. Her position on the council and high standing amongst the villagers would almost ensure that. Or should he continue to feign ignorance? Morgan had been explicitly detailed with her meticulous planning and would no doubt be furious at Andre for being overheard. She had specifically mentioned how Althea was to unknowingly support their cause. The less people who knew what was going on, the less likely were mistakes.

He scowled as new thoughts raced through his head. Mother didn't listen to him. She didn't want to be around him. She didn't want to talk to him. She certainly didn't want to help him. All she was interested in was making sure that her beloved Pearl was the Master. That useless brat. Mother wasn't concerned at all with making Maya and Phoenix pay for what they did. Why couldn't she see that he was doing all this for her? They took his mother away and they would pay.

Why didn't she see? Why wasn't she proud?

But Althea... she was different. Althea cared about him. She listened to what he had to say. She understood him. That made his choice all the more clear.

"Meet me back here at sundown. I'll explain everything." Andre said emotionlessly. The gardens would be quiet at that time of evening. He watched Althea, waiting for her response.

She said nothing, only nodded curtly before turning and heading away. She asked no questions and seemingly understood the need for discretion at this time. Andre was impressed by that.

"_Mother will most definitely not be pleased at all..." _Andre thought to himself. But the game had changed, and he had to adjust the rules accordingly or else he would lose.

He was _not_ going to lose.

* * *

Maya walked briskly towards the council chambers, and Phoenix struggled to match her pace.

"Hey, slow down will ya?" he complained as he reached her side. "Where's the fire?"

"Althea is already going to be ready to tear my head off," Maya explained. "If I'm late it will be even worse."

"I thought she didn't scare you..." Phoenix said with a smirk.

"Oh no..." Maya said, shaking her head to signify that Phoenix was incorrect. "She terrifies me. The key is though, to not let her know about that."

"I see..." Phoenix said, nodding. "Well I'm pretty sure you have it under control, and unless we need to walk another 30 miles to the council chambers, you're not going to be late. In fact at this speed, we'll get there yesterday."

"You're getting old, Nick." Maya said with a laugh as she began to walk a little faster again.

"Hey!" Phoenix cried. "I am not! Augh!"

He jogged to catch up to her before taking her by the arm and turning her around to face him. She raised an eyebrow.

"Need a breather, Grandpa?" she asked with a chuckle. Phoenix shot her an annoyed look.

"No." He said flatly. "But if I'm going to be your legal counsel, I need to ask you some questions before we get in there."

"Like what?"

"Like what am I meant to do?"

Maya squinted thoughtfully, trying her best to come up with an intelligent answer. Giving up, she shrugged. Phoenix's shoulders slumped.

"I have no idea." Maya said simply. "You're the lawyer. Just do lawyerly things."

"Lawyerly things?" Phoenix asked. "I'm so proud that you've learned so much in your time as my assistant, Maya." He finished sarcastically.

"I'm sorry, Nick." Maya said, her expression apologetic. "Althea had me all riled up and it just came out. I didn't think it would be a big deal."

"It's not." Phoenix said, shaking his head. "I just don't want Althea to claim I have no business being there, and not have some sort of witty comeback to shut her up."

"You'll think of something." Maya said with a grin. They began walking once more, although at a more leisurely pace.

"Besides. I'll be able to stand up to her with you there." Maya said quietly, watching the ground as she walked. "I'm more confident when I'm with you."

Phoenix smiled, taking her hand in his and giving it a light squeeze. He dropped it quickly, feeling uncharacteristically self conscious about being seen holding hands with the Master. As they walked, passing villagers did little to hide the fact that they were staring. While it was probably due to the fact that Maya had not been in Kurain for such a long time, the fact that she was accompanied by a strange man probably didn't help matters much.

Maya didn't seem to notice, she was once again lost in her own thoughts. They stopped outside the doors of the council chambers. Phoenix stuffed his hands into his pockets and watched Maya, waiting for her to make a move.

" You ready?" Phoenix asked, interrupting the silence and surprising Maya. She looked up at him, her face calm.

"You know what? I think I am." She said, before smiling. "I've prepared for this meeting. I didn't expect it to be so soon, but I've done my homework."

"Too much homework." Phoenix quipped, rolling his eyes.

"Don't start." Maya said with mock seriousness, pointing a finger at him.

"I'm kidding." Phoenix said, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. He smiled at her, that same dazzling smile that always made her heart melt. Maya felt butterflies, but she knew they weren't because she was nervous about the council meeting.

"You'll be great." Phoenix said earnestly, before leaning down to place a gentle kiss on her cheek. He chuckled softly at her slightly surprised expression and the tinge of pink on her cheeks.

"Let's go." She said, exhaling loudly. She opened the door and stepped inside, with Phoenix close behind.

* * *

Phoenix looked around as he sat at the bench next to Maya. Kurain's Council Chambers definitely looked nothing like he had expected, given the traditional Japanese style of the rest of the village. The room they occupied was definitely much more modern. In fact, it sort of resembled a court room, which helped lift his confidence somewhat, the illusion of familiar territory. The only difference was instead of having one judge in the centre, five elderly women peered down at them from the front of the room, and there were no attorneys on either side. Only Maya and himself right in the middle.

He looked over at Maya, who sat calmly, fingers laced together and eyes locked on Althea Fey. She was waiting for the head council member to officially begin the meeting and despite her earlier admission that Althea terrified her, Maya was staring the woman down as if that was the absolute furthest from the truth. Althea shuffled some papers and adjusted her glasses before settling her eyes on Maya.

"I would now like to call this council meeting to session." She said formally. "Although we normally convene much later in the month, in light of the unfortunate circumstances which have brought the Master to Kurain , I felt it prudent to call this meeting to discuss village business in her presence. It will be a privilege to actually hear her thoughts on village matters," she finished. The note of sarcasm in her voice was not lost on Maya, but she decided to ignore it. She had no doubt that Phoenix heard it too.

"Unfortunately, as our first point of order, we must nominate a replacement council member due to the passing of Lillian Fey. I move to nominate Lillian's younger sister Lisbeth. All in favour?" Althea asked.

The four other women at the front of the room all raised their hands. Maya didn't move.

"I see that none are opposed." Althea said. "By unanimous decision, Lisbeth Fey will be inducted as our sixth council member."

Phoenix leaned over to whisper in Maya's ear.

"Were you supposed to vote?" he asked.

"No. I'm not a council member." Maya whispered back.

"Oh. Okay. I thought she was being her usual charming self and making a point of ignoring you." Phoenix added. Maya stifled a laugh.

"Something amusing, Mystic Maya?" Althea asked, shooting the young woman a scathing glare.

"Not particularly, Mystic Althea." Maya said, meeting the woman's gaze. Phoenix was amazed at the fact that Maya was refusing to back down. Amazed and impressed. This was going to be an interesting afternoon.

"Very well then." Althea said calmly. Both women were attempting to play the same passive aggressive game. "My first question of you is to ask why you feel that you need legal counsel for something as simple as a mere council meeting."

Phoenix groaned inwardly. He knew this question was coming. He had told her this question was coming. And she hadn't had an answer. He knew he had to think fast. He opened his mouth to speak, but promptly snapped it shut again when Maya beat him to it.

"The answer is quite simple, Mystic Althea, if you'll allow me to elaborate." Maya said confidently. Without waiting for an indication from Althea to continue, she began speaking again.

"I haven't had to the opportunity to attend a council meeting in this capacity before, as the Master, and I have many things that I would like to bring to your attention. Kurain is behind the times in many aspects and I would like to begin my time as Master to instigate changes and progress that I feel overdue. I have requested Mr Wright's presence to simply overlook proceedings and to ensure that if any of my changes proposed are rejected by the council, that they are rejected for a substantial reason and not just an aversion to change or a personal opinion of me and how I plan to run this village. While we may govern our affairs internally, we are not exempt from the law and I have every right to legally challenge your decision in a civil court if I feel discriminated against in any way." Maya paused, lifting her chin slightly.

Phoenix was stunned. Ten minutes ago she had shrugged and said she had no idea! That answer was even better than what he would have come up with!

"Hence, I have employed Mr Phoenix Wright as my legal advisor. Is any further clarification required?" Maya asked, raising an eyebrow.

Althea's jaw tensed. She had not been expecting this from Maya. The other women on the council bench shook their heads to signify that they had no further questions. Althea's gaze remained on Maya. She vowed to break this facade of hers before the meeting was over.

"Very well, Mr Wright can stay." Althea conceded, her cool outwards demeanour a stark contrast to the contempt she felt welling within her. "I planned to speak next about the details surrounding Lillian's unfortunate passing, but I will leave that until later. Given the fact that the Master has spent so little time in Kurain over the last year I am curious to find out what changes she feels need to be made to make Kurain so much more effective than it is now." Althea drawled, not bothering to even try to mask her sarcasm this time.

"Well if you're done taking pot-shots at me and what you feel is my lack of duty towards this village, I'd like to begin." Maya said, raising her voice slightly. Althea looked slightly taken aback as the other women on the council gasped. Phoenix marvelled at Maya's gutsy response. He really hadn't expected so much from her, but oh boy, was he ever enjoying himself!

"I know that _some_ people may think that I have been neglecting my duty as Master," Maya began, casting an annoyed glance in Althea's direction. "But I'd like to begin by assuring you that that is most definitely not the case. The role of Master was bestowed upon me at a very young age; it is all I have ever really known. And although I am not yet old enough to officially accept the title, I still take my position very seriously. Up until three years ago, I had never really travelled outside of Kurain, save for brief visits to my sister. I had little knowledge of the workings of the world at large, as well as next to no idea as to how to run this village. I have spent my absences over the last three years studying the way things work outside Kurain, and the changes the world has seen that have yet to be reflected in our village. I plan to bring that wisdom back with me to be able to run Kurain more effectively and help all our people to lead more enriched lives. That being said, I will continue to base myself outside of Kurain for the time being and move back and forth when necessary."

The council ladies nodded in understanding and acceptance, one even smiled in response to Maya's enthusiasm for her position. Phoenix was thrilled. They seemed more than happy to let Maya run things from outside Kurain. All except Althea, that was.

Maya went on to outline all the improvements she planned to introduce to Kurain. From electricity upgrades and phones, right through to internet access and distance education for the young acolytes. She had plans to digitise the old texts so nothing was lost as the years went by and the books degraded. She suggested upgrading the channelling chamber with three more rooms to allow for more appointments and she had also completely planned a tiered system of channelling, which would categorise their jobs and give the harder tasks to more accomplished mediums and the easier channelling to younger girls in need of experience. This would allow for more work to be done, as more mediums would be available and therefore more money generated. The council women were incredibly pleased with her suggestions, asking questions and commending her ideas. Althea was uncharacteristically quiet.

"And finally, I would like to express an interest in sending funding and acolytes to Hazakurain." Maya said.

"I don't feel that will be necessary." Althea responded, perhaps a little too quickly.

"Under what grounds do you object?" Maya asked. She looked over at Phoenix who began to write notes.

"Kurain would be foolish to squander its resources on another village that should be self sufficient. What is he writing?" Althea asked, annoyed.

"That is not your concern." Maya said. "Kurain has wealth and population beyond its requirements, while our sister village does not. It's a simple matter of math."

"We do not have the funds to spare!" Althea said, growing slightly more flustered.

"I don't know which bank balances you are referring to Althea, but according to my calculations we have plenty to spare." Maya challenged. "I plan on doing a complete audit on expenses for the last five years anyway to ensure we are stable before sending any money to Hazakurain. I understand all the old bank records are stored in the vault."

"That won't be necessary." Althea said quickly, fidgeting with her magatama. "I withdraw my objection."

Phoenix reached into his pocket and quickly found Maya's magatama. Not that he needed it. Althea was acting strangely enough at the mention of Hazakurain. The magatama just confirmed things.

"She's hiding something." He whispered to Maya.

"I know." She whispered in return, not moving her gaze from Althea. "I wonder what. Isn't it wonderful to see her panic like that?" Maya quipped. Phoenix smiled.

"Very good, Mystic Althea. Does anyone else have any objections to such an action?" Maya asked the rest of the council. No one raised their hand. "Excellent." Maya smiled in a satisfied manner.

"Is there anything else you would like to add before I call a recess, Mystic Maya?" Althea asked.

"No." She said with a small shake of her head. "I'm finished."

"Good." Althea said. "We will take a five minute break. Mystic Maya, please stay where you are. I wish to speak to you."

The other four ladies stood and moved towards the rear exit, while Althea made her way over to where Maya and Phoenix remained seated.

"Mr Wright. Would you mind?" She asked, motioning to the door. Phoenix glanced over at Maya. She shook her head.

"He stays, Althea." Maya said, annoyed. Althea crossed her arms. "I know your here to chew me out for being disrespectful in front of the council, so you can say anything you have to say in front of him."

Althea slammed her hands down on the desk in front of Maya. The sudden action made Phoenix jump slightly, but Maya remained unmoving, glaring up at the older woman.

"I could care less about him!" Althea seethed, motioning flippantly towards Phoenix. "I don't know who you think you are, but how DARE you waltz back in here and try to change everything. I've had to run things for so long because you've been off running around with him." She finished her sentence with a snort of disgust and an annoyed glance at Phoenix. But she wasn't finished yet. "Things were just fine before you came back with all your changes and improvements. You know NOTHING about running this village and you have no respect for its traditions!"

Maya stood, leaning her hands on the desk so that she was face to face with Althea.

"You don't want to accept that I'm doing what is best for this village." Maya said angrily. "You don't like me, so you try and paint me like I'm some sort of useless child with no sense of duty or loyalty. Well I'm not useless, and I'm not a child! It's disgusting that you would allow personal opinions to affect the wellbeing of the village. I know you don't like me, you certainly didn't like my sister and you didn't like my mother either"

Althea stood up straight, turning her back on Maya. She laughed strangely.

"Your mother." She said, shaking her head. "You're so much like her that it sickens me. I see you, especially when you're with him, and it's her all over again."

"What? What are you talking about?" Maya asked, puzzled. Althea spun around quickly, her face contorted into a twisted grimace.

"Ha! Your mother… We sent her away to be educated as a teenager thinking it would benefit the village, and that little harlot fell in love with a lawyer and wound up pregnant. She was nineteen, just like you. She came back here and he convinced her she could change everything. It's always the lawyers that cause the problems. And surprise, surprise. Here we have history repeating itself." Althea said with disgust, glancing over at Phoenix with contempt. Phoenix knew that she was insinuating a physical relationship between him and Maya and he felt anger rising within him. He narrowed his eyes and clenched his fists.

"Hey!" Phoenix yelled. "You can't talk about her like that! It's not like that." Althea ignored him as if he wasn't there, and Phoenix fought the urge to grab the woman and make her look at him.

"I… I don't understand..." Maya said, her confident grasp on the situation fading.

"_Oh no, Maya. Don't lose faith in yourself now. You've done so well so far!"_ Phoenix silently pleaded with her.

"You didn't know your father was a lawyer, did you? They were married immediately and Mia was born only days after your mother turned twenty. Who do you think convinced your mother to help with that damn case that caused all the trouble?" Althea asked. Maya was dumbfounded.

"Right before he died." Althea added cryptically, tilting her head slightly, making Phoenix wonder what that had to do with anything.

"Why would you even mention that?" he couldn't help asking her.

"Don't ask questions you don't want the answer to, lawyer." Althea shot back.

Maya was desperately trying to process this new information as the other women began to walk back into the chamber.

"You're a disgrace, Maya. Just like Misty." Althea spat, just low enough for the other women to not be able to hear, before turning around and heading back to her seat. Maya sat stunned, a tear running down her cheek. Phoenix's shoulders slumped. She had been so strong, but Althea had found a way to attack her mother and turn it around on her. She had used the fact that there was so much Maya didn't know to try and rattle her, and she had succeeded.

Althea began to speak again, but Maya wasn't paying attention. Her eyes were glazed over and she stared at nothing. Phoenix glared at Althea.

"Now that we are all back here, it pains me to do so, but I must inform the council of the circumstances surrounding Lillian's death. This information is not to leave this chamber, and the rest of the village must go on believing that Lillian's death was caused by heart failure."

A surprised gasp and small murmurs could be heard from the other four ladies sitting at the council bench and Phoenix could not believe that Althea had waited until Maya was upset and barely functional to no doubt drag her beloved sister's name through the mud.

"Lillian was murdered by Mia Fey, poisoned in fact, while being channelled by Pearl Fey."

The council members looked positively stunned. Phoenix was beside himself. He stood and pointed his finger at Lillian.

"Objection!" he shouted on reflex, immediately realising that probably wasn't the right thing to do. He had forgotten where he was.

"Objection?" Althea asked. Phoenix smiled awkwardly and fidgeted with his tie. "I am sorry, Mr Wright, but this is a council meeting, not a court case. If you have nothing constructive to add, then please sit down."

"What I meant to say is, how can you know that? What proof do you have? Mia Fey was special to both of us and we will not have you tarnish her name without evidence!" Phoenix cried. Maya was finally paying attention to what was going on, but didn't appear to be in any condition to contribute.

"Her fingerprints were found on the bottle which contained the poison. She also attacked one of the villagers with a knife reported stolen by her from the vehicle belonging to Lucas Fey. The attacked villager in question has reported everything he witnessed."

"Who was attacked?" One of the council ladies asked.

"Andre Fey." Althea replied.

The ladies murmured once more but Phoenix was not about to give up.

"I question the credibility of your witness!" Phoenix cried.

"On what grounds?" Althea snapped. Phoenix thought for a moment.

"_On the grounds that he's a lying jerk?"_ he thought to himself. He couldn't say that out loud.

Althea seemed to think that he had no response.

"Mr Wright, Mystic Maya's claims of discrimination due to personal opinion don't just work in her favour, you know." She said, turning Maya's words against her. "You can't discredit Andre simply because you don't like him."

"I question his credibility as a witness due to his relationship with Morgan Fey, who has previously made attempts at my client's life!"

More surprised murmurs could be heard from the council bench. Althea clenched her teeth together.

"This meeting is adjourned." She seethed. The other ladies simply stared at her, silent.

"NOW!" she bellowed, causing the women to immediately pick up their belongings and scuttle towards the door. She stepped down from the bench and walked towards Phoenix, who stood quickly, placing a hand on the desk protectively in front of Maya, as if that would shield the girl from whatever Althea had planned.

"You just don't know when to keep your mouth shut, do you Mr Wright?" she asked, her eyes narrowed into small slits. Phoenix stood defiant.

"You don't scare me. I'm not afraid of you." He said. Althea smirked.

"You should be scared." Althea said dangerously. "For her."

With that, she turned and walked away. Phoenix watched her close the door to the chamber behind her, before turning his attention to Maya. He crouched next to her chair, tilting her face so she was looking at him.

"Maya, are you alright? We need to get out of here." He said, his voice filled with concern.

"I didn't know." She said quietly. "I didn't know about my mother or my father. Why does this family have so many secrets?" she sighed and shook her head. "Althea… she knows something about my father's death, I know it! How could she say those horrible things about sis…?"

Maya's brow furrowed. Phoenix stood and pulled her to her feet. He pulled her into a hug and she buried her face in his chest.

"We'll get to the bottom of this," he said as he stroked her hair. "I think it's time to dig all of the skeletons out of Kurain's closet."

* * *

**I checked the dates. Mia was indeed born when Misty was 20! Ho ho! Misty, you little minx you.**


	19. Nothing Lasts Forever

**A/N: Late I know. Better late than never right? Oh and I am much better, thanks for all the well wishes.**

**Behind you with a knife: You were my 100****th**** review! Please graciously accept this cookie and my gratitude *hands over cookie***

**Once again thanks to all my readers and reviewers! You're all fantastic!**

**Going off the grid for the night now - will post this on Court Records tomorrah!  
**

* * *

Phoenix sighed heavily as Maya closed the door to her sleeping quarters, leaving him outside in the sitting room. He leaned against the door and rubbed at his eyes, fatigued. It had been a long day.

She'd requested a moment alone to fix her hair and freshen up but Phoenix knew that what she was really asking for was to take a few moments to regain her composure. Althea has been particularly harsh at that afternoons meeting. He'd had managed to get her out of the council chambers and lead her back to the main house, but the defiant spark she had displayed earlier that morning seemed to be gone.

Maya seemed numb. Lifeless. He hated seeing her like that. The added stress of Lillian's funeral tomorrow certainly wasn't going to help either.

Phoenix frowned and cursed under his breath. There were so many new questions. Kurain had so many secrets. So much betrayal. He found it hard to believe someone as wonderful and pure as Maya came from such a place. She didn't belong here. She belonged someplace far away. Someplace with him. Free of ridiculous responsibilities, free of the hurt. He wanted nothing more than to turn around, open the door behind him and take her away for good.

But he knew she wouldn't allow it. She may be having trouble coping right now, but he knew Maya was strong and proud of her village. She wanted to make it a better place.

It was just like Iris had told him. She didn't need someone to protect her right now.

She just needed someone to understand.

* * *

Maya walked slowly across her room towards the bathroom. She was tired, angry, hurt, stressed… But she had to keep moving, even if she was just going through the motions. She reached the small ensuite and stood over the sink, bracing her hands on either side. She glanced up at her reflection in the mirror. Tired eyes looked back at her with an almost cynical edge.

"_You're not fooling anyone."_ Her reflection told her. _"You're just a kid pretending to play grown up games."_

She closed her eyes and sighed. Who was she kidding? She couldn't run Kurain. She didn't know its history. She didn't even know anything about her father. Turning on the tap, she splashed some cold water on her face. Her thoughts turned to Phoenix, no doubt sitting outside the door worrying about her.

Sweet, protective, reliable Nick.

She picked up a brush and began to run it through the long, silky strands that she had been left free of the elaborate knot her hair had been styled into. Despite her sullen mood, the corner of her mouth turned upwards in a faint smile as she thought about the lawyer outside her door. He always had that effect on her.

He didn't need to be here, but he was. He was here for her. Standing up to Althea this afternoon had been easy. Simply because she knew he was right next to her. She knew it wasn't just her either – Phoenix had an uncanny ability to lift the all the people around him. Everyone had felt it at some stage. He was inspiring. His enthusiasm was infectious. And she felt bad for relying on it.

Gently, she placed the brush down on the sink and headed back to her bed. Sitting down her thoughts moved to a particular topic that she had been avoiding.

She was falling in love with him.

Maya couldn't remember a time when she didn't at least feel something for Phoenix. She remembered fondly how this kind, handsome man came into her life when all hope was lost and did everything he could to save her. And he continued to save her. Over, and over and over. How could she not fall for someone like that? She had always thought it would never be anything more than an unrequited crush. But now, things were different.

Maya knew Phoenix had feelings for her that went beyond that of just friendship, and the thought of that made her cheeks flush and her heart pound in her chest. But at the same time, it made her sad.

"Nothing lasts forever..."She whispered softly.

The words were painful to say. She knew that Kurain would need her one day, and she would have to leave him. He didn't belong here in Kurain and she had no right to even try to keep him here. He needed to be in the city, helping people, winning cases. She needed to be here, leading her people and making Kurain a better place. If things continued on how they were going, she knew she would hurt him when the inevitable time came that she had to leave.

Right now she felt like she needed him, like she couldn't do anything without him. Maya knew it was wrong to feel that way. His purpose in life wasn't to support her. She was holding him back.

Tying him down in any way would be...

"Selfish." She whispered to herself.

Wiping away the tears that had started to fall, Maya made her decision.

As much as it hurt to do so, she needed to put some distance between herself and Phoenix. If things didn't change, in time she knew he would fall in love with her and she couldn't bear the thought of breaking his heart. If they went back to being friends now, maybe it wouldn't hurt so much.

What Maya didn't realise was that it was already far too late for that.

* * *

Andre looked up at the deep purple sky that had seemingly draped itself like a blanket over the picturesque little garden. The sky was clear and thousands of stars twinkled down at him happily, almost as if they didn't know about the sinister plans he was there to discuss.

"You're early," said a familiar voice from behind him.

Andre spun around to find Althea standing behind him, arms crossed and expression firm. He glanced down at his watch, stifling the urge to tell her that she was in fact, late. He simply nodded instead.

"Does anyone know you are here?" Althea asked. Andre shook his head to signify no. "Good." She said with a curt nod.

The pair walked in silence towards an old stone bench and took a seat. The bench was out of view of all the main paths and was hidden behind two large trees. They could speak freely there without being heard.

"I assume you're working with Morgan." Althea stated.

"How... how did you know that?" Andre stammered. He had been so careful!

"Please." Althea said icily. "I know that woman better than anyone. I'm surprised she didn't come to me herself."

Andre frowned. He had originally planned to only give Althea tidbits of information in order to keep the upper hand for himself. Unfortunately it appeared he didn't have that luxury.

"Am I also correct in assuming that manipulating me was part of her plan?" Althea said, breaking the silence with a difficult question. Andre hung his head. He should have known she would figure that out.

"Yes." He said quietly. He looked over at Althea, studying her expression for a reaction. To his surprise she nodded approvingly.

"Quite a good avenue to approach from. I see that Morgan has really planned this one well." Althea said. "So what is her next step? Once you have me on side, where to then?"

"I actually have no idea." Andre admitted. "She feeds me portions of the plan, one step at a time. She thinks I'll be less likely to screw up that way."

Althea looked over at Andre, her expression compassionate. She sighed.

"Well it's certainly just like Morgan to keep her cards close to her chest. But a mother needs to have more faith in her son." Althea said softly.

Andre smirked and shook his head.

"I should have known that you knew she was my mother." He said.

"Well I'll just warn you that I'm not the only one. That damn lawyer knows it too and nearly told the whole council today." Althea said, annoyed. Andre's eyes widened.

"He did? I mean, I knew he _thought_ he knew, but..." Andre trailed off.

"Your father admitted as much to Mia, or so he told me when I asked him about it. Mia no doubt told Mr Wright. The lawyer is a problem and he needs to be taken care of." Althea snapped.

A gentle rustling noise came from a bush behind Andre. Snapping his head around to locate the source of the noise, he relaxed when he saw a small squirrel dart up the tree next to where he and Althea sat.

"If we get rid of Maya, he will no longer be a problem. He will go where she does." Andre reasoned.

"Yes, but how DO we get rid of Maya, Andre? How?" Althea asked. "Morgan hasn't told you that part yet, has she?"

Andre shook his head.

"Can't the council just stand her down?" he asked. Althea scoffed, shaking her head.

"If it were within my capacity I would have done it by now. Unfortunately for me she had the rest of the council eating out of her hand at that damn meeting this afternoon, so even if we could bring it to a vote right now I would be out numbered."

"Well, we need to find out what mother has planned." Andre said with a sigh. "You know she will have planned this from start to finish, so she obviously has something in mind."

Althea thought for a moment... then it hit her.

"We may not need to..." she said slowly, her lips spreading into a satisfied grin. "I'll need to do some research first though, just to make sure. Proceed with whatever Morgan tells you to do for now. And don't tell her you spoke to me. She'll want to reformulate the plan if you tell her that I know about anything that's going on."

Andre nodded. That sounded like his mother, alright.

"I'll take care of things from my end and I'll meet with you again once I have all my information." Althea said as she stood. Andre stood also.

She moved to leave, but turned back around to face Andre.

"I have one more question." She said, raising an eyebrow. "Did you kill Lillian?"

Andre steeled his expression. There was no use lying about it now.

"Yes." He said simply. Althea's face remained unchanged.

"We'll keep that between you and me." She said, patting the boy on the shoulder. "We've all done questionable things for the good of the village. Lillian died for a noble cause."

Andre nodded, his eyes showing no emotion, despite the fact that Althea's admission had surprised him.

With no more to be said, the pair turned and walked in opposite directions, leaving the garden in silence, as if their little exchange had never taken place at all.

Once they were out of sight, the rustling from the bushes behind Andre grew louder, as a little girl pulled herself to her feet. Tears streaming down her face, she ran as fast as her little legs would take her towards the Master's quarters.

* * *

Finally back in her quarters after a lengthy dinner with Council members and other prominent members of Kurain Village, Maya yawned and began to pull the pins out of her hair, placing them atop her dresser. Phoenix sat on a chair close by watching her movements.

The food they ate for dinner had been lovely, but that had been the extent of his enjoyment. Maya was quiet and distracted during the meal, barely speaking to him and Althea had spent the entire time glaring at him. Andre, however, was thankfully not present. He hadn't even been able to see Pearl yet. She had been delegated to the children's' dining area, which was in a separate room to where the adults ate.

"Maya..." Phoenix said softly. "Are you alright? I...I know you've been through a lot today, and you were so quiet at dinner..."

"I'm fine." Maya said quietly, her voice lacking any real emotion. She didn't turn to face him, but continued to watch her own reflection as she undid her hair.

Phoenix stood and moved behind her, placing his hands on her shoulders. Her eyes met his in the reflection of the mirror and she couldn't help but sigh. Looking away, she turned to face him. He shifted his hands so they remained on her shoulders. His gaze was serious as he looked down at her.

She smiled sadly and placed her hands over his, gently lifting his hands from her shoulders and holding them in her own. She gave them a quick squeeze before letting go. A little surprised, Phoenix let his hands drop to his sides.

"Nick..." Maya began.

He said nothing, just watched her, waiting for her next words.

"I..."

She stopped again. Biting down on her lip, she tried to hold back the tears she could feel stinging the corners of her eyes.

"_This is so hard."_ She thought to herself. She felt sick to her stomach. Her hands were shaking. She took a deep breath. Was she really about to tell Phoenix that she thought he should go back home?

Suddenly there was a loud bang on the door, accompanied by the sound of a crying child.

"Mystic Maya! Mystic Maaaayyyaaaa!!" the voice wailed.

Maya and Phoenix both froze, looking at each other in shock.

"Pearls!" Phoenix muttered in recognition, panic setting in as he rushed to the door to open it. Sliding the door open, he was greeted by the sight of a very distraught Pearl Fey. Her knee was grazed and bleeding and tears streamed down her angelic little face.

"Mr Nick!" she cried, as Phoenix scooped her up into his arms. He closed the door and carried the young medium over to where Maya stood. She continued to cry, burying her head in Phoenix's shoulder.

"Pearly, what is it, what's wrong?" Maya asked gently, stroking the little girls' hair.

Slowly, she lifted her head, her grief stricken face almost breaking Maya's heart.

"I heard them. I heard them talking." She said, between sobs.

"Heard who, Pearls?" Phoenix asked. Pearl didn't respond. Maya dashed quickly to the bathroom, wetting down a small cloth to wipe Pearl's grazed knee.

"What happened to your knee Pearly?" Maya asked, gently cleaning the wound. "Did you fall?"

Pearl looked up again. She sniffed and nodded.

"I was in the garden." She said quietly.

"You know you shouldn't be in the garden after dark Pearly. It's dangerous." Maya chided softly.

"I'm sorry, Mystic Maya." Pearl sobbed. "I stayed too long at the dinner hall and I was running late for evening meditation. I took a shortcut through the garden, but it got dark so quick." She explained.

"Who did you see there, Pearls? Who was talking?" Phoenix asked again. Pearl looked up at him with a devastated expression.

"I saw Andre. I tried to run over to him so he would help me find my way out of the garden, but I fell. That's when I heard them." Pearl said sadly.

"Who else was there?" Phoenix asked gently. Pearl was clearly very upset and extracting information wasn't exactly easy considering he didn't want to upset her more.

"Mystic Althea was there." Pearl said, stifling a sob. "They were talking about getting rid of Mystic Maya!"

Pearl began to wail again as Phoenix patted her back protectively. He looked over at Maya, his frown full of concern. Maya shook her head. She should have seen this coming.

"Shhhh," Phoenix soothed, moving over to Maya's sitting area. He sat on the small couch, settling Pearl in his lap. "It's okay. We won't let them get rid of Mystic Maya. Mystic Maya is in charge now, you know that. Everything will be just fine."

Maya stood, and began pacing a little. She rubbed at her forehead. A stress headache was starting to set in. Phoenix watched her worriedly as he continued to try and console the little girl on his lap.

"Mr Nick?" Pearl croaked, looking up at him.

"Yes sweetie," he answered concern evident in his voice. Pearl paused, a frown marring her petite features.

"Andre is a bad person, isn't he?"

Maya's head snapped up. She met Phoenix's puzzled gaze.

"What makes you think that, Pearls?" Phoenix asked her, feigning ignorance.

She shifted slightly, sniffling a little more and wiped at her eyes with the back of her fist.

"Mystic Althea asked him if he killed Mystic Lillian." Pearl managed to whisper quietly. Phoenix was taken aback.

"And what did he say?"

"He said he did."

Phoenix hugged Pearl tightly as she began to cry again. He stroked her hair, feeling absolutely at a loss for what to say to this poor child who had just had her faith in humanity almost completely destroyed. First it was her mother, and now this.

"I knew Mystic Mia wasn't bad. I knew it. Andre lied to me." Pearl said through her tears, her voice muffled by Phoenix's shoulder.

Maya watched Phoenix continue to hush and soothe the poor child, rocking her back and forth while he told her everything was going to be okay and that nobody was going to hurt anyone.

"_The lies we tell children..."_ Maya thought hopelessly to herself. This was all just too much. Her whole body was shaking with the effort of just preventing a complete emotional breakdown. She couldn't take it anymore.

Turning abruptly, Maya dashed from the room, leaving Phoenix behind. He frowned and cursed silently. He couldn't go after her right now – there was no way he was leaving frightened little Pearl. She continued to sob lightly into his shoulder, but she seemed to be calming down.

He squeezed his eyes shut; sighing with exasperation at the mess they had once again found themselves in.

"_Why does it always have to be this way?"_

* * *

Phoenix looked down at the sleeping child he had just covered with a blanket. She looked so peaceful. Like she didn't have a care in the world. But when she woke up again the weight of her problems would no doubt once again crush her tiny spirit. Pearl was like a daughter to him, and he wanted to hurt anyone that hurt her. The little couch was more than enough room for her to sleep on, so he decided against moving her very far once she had fallen asleep in his lap. But now that she was settled, he had to go and find Maya.

Just as he turned to leave the room, the door slid open, and Maya stepped inside. Her eyes were red and puffy. Phoenix knew immediately that she had been crying. The tired expression on her face matched his own. He didn't need to ask her if she was okay. It was plain as day that she wasn't, and quite frankly, neither was he.

He stretched out his arm, offering her his hand. She looked at it, an odd expression on her face, then back up at him again. After a few moments more of hesitation she moved towards him and took the hand he offered. He pulled her over to him and enveloped her in a tight hug and she allowed herself to be held.

She didn't cry. She was all cried out. Just exhausted. He reached over to the side table next to where Pearl slept and switched off the lamp. Light from Maya's bedroom filtered out into the small sitting room.

Maya took a deep breath, doing her best to commit his scent to memory, while she fought with her inner turmoil about sending him away.

"_Not tonight."_ She argued with herself. _"I need him here tonight. Just one more night."_

Her shoulders slumped, and she leaned into him. He was keeping her on her feet, both physically and emotionally. Sensing that she was near her breaking point, Phoenix scooped her up and carried her into her bedroom. Gently, he laid her down on the bed, taking his place by her side. They were both too tired to change. She would sleep in her fancy kimono and he in his suit. He pulled her into his arms.

Brushing her bangs out of her eyes, he kissed her forehead and whispered.

"It's okay. I'm here."

The words stung, even though they were intended as soothing. Maya fought back tears as she replied, her voice barely a whisper.

"I know."


	20. That's What Friends Are For

**A/N: Hey Y'all ;)**

**In response to your questions, **

**1. No, I am not dead.**

**2. Yes I have totally been on Holidays!! But I've been back a few weeks now, just bogged down with other writing (no FF, stuff I actually get paid for), so my beloved fic has taken a back seat.**

**3. Yes, Phoenix is totally badass.**

**Wait, I don't think anyone asked about number 3. CAUSE YOU ALL KNEW AMIRITE?**

**Oh and I'm touched you all missed me. Mwah. On with the show right?**

* * *

Maya woke with a stretch from the best sleep she had had in ages. She gazed down lovingly at the man beside her, still deep in slumber. His breathing was even and the corner of his mouth was curved up in the faintest of smiles. She wondered what he was dreaming about. Secretly, she hoped it was her.

As Maya continued to look down at Phoenix sleeping so peacefully her heart lurched. She wanted to reach out and touch his face. She wanted to wrap her arms around him and never let him go. But she knew it wasn't meant to be. He wasn't meant to be hers. He was too good for the life of pain that she and her village would no doubt bring him.

She eased herself out of the bed, successful in her attempt to not wake him. Pausing in the doorway to her bathroom, she glanced over at him one last time. Sighing, she looked away sadly. That beautiful face.

It hurt to even look at him now that she had made up her mind.

* * *

Phoenix kicked at a rock on the ground and cursed under his breath as he watched Maya and her entourage of followers disappear from view. He let out a sigh and sat cross legged on the grass, deciding to carry on with his visit anyway, even though Maya had opted not to join him. He placed the flowers he had picked from the garden at the foot of the headstone and began rambling. Maybe she could actually hear him.

"Don't take it personally." Phoenix said casually to Mia's headstone. "I'm sure she only said she was too busy to visit you because all the idiots on the council still think you're responsible for what happened to Lillian. She'll come around. She's just gotta save face today because they're all fussing over her."

He paused and played with a blade of grass. Maya had already been gone when he woke that morning and while he had "seen" her during the day, he hadn't really seen her at all. Lillian's funeral was of course a solemn affair and Phoenix had expected her to have to preside over the ceremony, but that didn't explain her refusal to make eye contact with him and the cold shoulder that he had just received when he approached her with the idea to take some flowers to Mia.

"She's been acting pretty weird today." Phoenix explained to Mia. "I don't know what it is. I know she's no doubt upset over what happened to Lillian and having to bury her today, but I don't get why that means she wouldn't want to see me."

Phoenix frowned.

"I wish there was more that I could do to help her, you know. I know, I know..." he said, raising his hands in defense, as if Mia's headstone was going to tell him he needed to let Maya do things on her time. "I get that she needs to be strong on her own, but how long do I have to sit back and watch people like Althea push her around?"

He peered at the granite headstone as if it might have somehow held the answers. It glinted in the sunlight. Phoenix sighed.

"You know, I never actually thought I'd have to visit you like this. I figured you'd always be around. I guess I kinda took that for granted." He finished sheepishly. "I'm sorry, Mia. I really shouldn't have relied on you so much. Maybe if I hadn't I'd be of more help to Maya..."

He stood, dusting the dirt off his knees with his hands.

"...And not just be standing here hoping a lump of rock will give me the answers to life's problems." He chuckled lightly and shook his head.

"See, Mia?" Phoenix said to the sky. "You're not even here and I'm still relying on you."

He turned and began to walk in the direction on the house, pausing to look over his shoulder at the simple headstone. He would find a way to get that spirit block removed.

"See you later, Mia. And I mean that."

* * *

Maya's silence was driving Phoenix crazy.

She sat on the floor across from where he sat on the sofa, flicking through some paperwork that he was sure wasn't important at all, although he knew she would claim otherwise if he asked her. He watched her. He could tell that she sensed his eyes on her because she was trying her hardest not to look at him.

Maya had only come back to the room about an hour ago. Phoenix had no idea where she had been all day, and he had eaten dinner alone in her suite. He wondered if she had instructed the young acolyte to bring it to him.

"_Probably not."_ He thought to himself. She'd merely nodded in greeting to him when she came back and pulled out that stupid paperwork.

"_What the hell is going on?"_ he thought to himself, frowning.

Suddenly, Maya stood and moved to the door without saying a word, or looking at him.

"Where are you going?" he asked her.

"I'm going for a walk." She said emotionlessly.

"Then I'm going too." Phoenix said, challenging her to respond. She didn't. She simply moved through the open door and began walking along the Winding Way. He ducked quickly out the door behind her. He couldn't help but feel further discouraged when he saw that she had not bothered to wait for him.

"Maya, please." He began as she walked briskly ahead of him. She did nothing to acknowledge that she had heard him speak at all.

"Maya, STOP." He repeated firmly. She stopped walking a few feet from where he stood and turned around to face him, her expression stoic.

Phoenix sighed. He didn't want to have this conversation outside where anyone could hear, but if it was going to happen, it was going to happen now. Luckily for them, the Winding Way was deserted at that time of night.

"What have I done?" he asked, puzzled. "You've avoided me all day. You wouldn't even make eye contact with me unless it was completely necessary and now that I'm with you, you won't even speak to me. What's the matter with you, Maya?"

Maya let out a small sigh. She steeled herself. Now or never.

"It's been a busy day, Nick. I'm sorry. It wasn't intentional."

Phoenix wasn't going to buy her weak excuse for even a second. He crossed his arms.

"Please don't look at me like that." She pleaded. "It's going to get worse from here on in. The more involved I get with my position, the less..." she trailed off.

"The less what?" Phoenix asked, willing her to continue.

"The less time I'll have for you." She finished quietly, unable to meet his gaze.

"What?" Phoenix asked incredulously. "What are you trying to say, Maya?"

Maya took a deep breath to calm herself and give her courage, but no matter how hard she tried, she still couldn't move her eyes from the polished wooden floor.

"What I'm trying to say is... "

"Yes..." Phoenix said, raising an eyebrow almost mockingly. She could tell he was really annoyed and that wasn't going to make this any easier. Maya squeezed her eyes closed and let the words come blurting out. Words she never thought she'd ever be able to say.

"Phoenix, maybe you should head back to the city."

She looked up at him quickly, worried about how he would react to what she had just suggested.

Phoenix's eyes flashed with something that wasn't quite anger, but she could tell it wasn't far off. She watched him closely for a few moments. She had absolutely no idea what he was thinking. His chest rose and fell as he took deep breaths. He locked his eyes on hers. She regretted what she had said already.

Then, out of nowhere, he closed the distance between them with one swift motion. Maya barely even had time to be surprised at his abrupt movement when he crashed his lips against hers in a somewhat authoritative kiss. She gave out a small yelp of protest, but if he heard her, it didn't register in the slightest. She tried to push him away, but her action was weak. They both knew she didn't mean it at all.

Her brain rushed to make sense of what was happening. This was nothing how she had dreamed their first kiss would be. But it was somehow exactly right. How could something be imperfect and perfect at the same time? He was angry at her, but there was so much love in his kiss. She had just asked him to leave, but they both knew she wanted him to stay.

His forceful actions, her heartbreaking words... they were nothing but contradictions. Just like the kiss they shared as the moon peeked through a gap in the clouds over the Winding Way.

There was little resistance. It was only seconds before she felt herself melt against him. Her body was experiencing sensations she'd never felt before. She never wanted this harsh yet somehow beautiful moment to end. But as abruptly as he had kissed her, he pulled back. The same annoyed expression still marred his handsome features. He took a few steps backward before turning his back to her and running his hand through his spikes in exasperation.

Maya on the other hand, was having trouble holding herself up. She brought a hand up to gingerly touch her lips, still amazed that his had been there only moments before.

"Nick..." she finally managed to stammer. "Why... Why did you... Why did you do that?"

"I don't know?!" he snapped. He turned to face her.

"No. That's a lie." he corrected himself, almost coldly. "I _do_ know why I did that. I know exactly why. And so do you."

Maya said nothing, but felt tears gathering in the corners of her eyes. He was trying to prove a point to her. She sighed. He did a damn good job of it. One kiss was all he needed to prove to her that she couldn't live without him. She shook her head. This was for the best. She had to send him away.

"You don't understand what I'm trying to do..." she started, but Phoenix cut her off.

"Oh, I understand perfectly." he said. "You're trying to build a wall. You're trying to shut me out. You're the Master of Kurain and you've resigned yourself to a sad and lonely existence. You're doing this to protect me. Send me away so I don't try to solve your problems by making them my own."

She looked down at her feet and he took a step towards her.

"I appreciate your concern, Maya" he continued, his tone still stern. "But I don't need you to protect me, and I'm not going anywhere. Order me out of here if you want to. I'll just come straight back. Have me arrested for trespassing if that's what you want. But you know that Gumshoe will just let me out anyway, and guess what I'll do then? I'll just come straight back here looking for you."

Her shoulders slumped as she fought back tears. She hated fighting with him. He waited a few moments for her to speak, but she didn't. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and decided to continue on.

"You want me to back off?" he asked her, already knowing that she wouldn't answer. "Fine. I will. I'll take the guest room. I won't kiss you again." he finished with a scowl.

Maya winced. Her heart was screaming at her brain to tell him how much she loved him, but she just couldn't get the words out.

"But if you think I'm just going to up and leave you and go back to some happy existence without you, well that's just stupid, Maya. First and foremost, I'm your friend."

He moved back towards her, placing his hands on her shoulders. She looked up at him, trying her hardest to not let her face betray what she was feeling inside. Little did she know that her eyes had already done all the work for her.

Seeing Maya clearly fighting herself over what she really wanted simply frustrated Phoenix further. He frowned. More at the situation than her, but she couldn't help but take it personally. Tears began to fall.

"Friends don't leave friends to battle their own problems." he said through gritted teeth, his own frustration getting the better of him. "And if a friend is the best I can get from you, then friends it is."

He studied her expression intensely, waiting for her to speak.

"Friends." she croaked after what seemed like an eternity, reaffirming what he had just said.

He sighed inwardly. The last, tiny glimmer of hope that she would throw herself into his arms and cry out that she loved him trickled away, like water down a drain. He stepped away from her and turned to head inside.

Maya frowned and bit her lip. She had hurt him and she felt terrible.

"Nick..." she called out to him.

Without even turning around he waved her off and walked into the house.

Maya felt sick.

"What have I done?" she whispered to herself.

Phoenix stopped just inside the doorway and swore to himself. She'd had an extremely hard day and he was acting like an ass. Sure, he had a right to be upset, but she was too. He shouldn't be taking it out on her. Even if she did have dumb ideas.

"Maya, I'm sorry. I didn't me-" he said as he turned around, but froze when he realised Maya was gone.

"Damn it." He whispered to himself. Thunder rumbled off in the distance. He headed inside to grab his jacket. He had a feeling he knew where she was headed.

* * *

Maya ran.

She ran blindly until the pain in her legs became too much. Collapsing on the grass, she realised she had subconsciously returned to the cemetery. More specifically, the gravestone in front of her belonged to Mia. The flowers Phoenix had left there earlier rested against the headstone bearing her name. She began to sob, her voice harsh and loud as the howling wind from the impending thunderstorm swirled around her.

"Mia! Mia, please help me!" Maya cried out as she started to sob. "I need you. I need you to tell me what to do. I can't do this! I can't do this without you!"

The wind whistled loudly past Maya's ears, whipping her hair around wildly. She splayed her fingers into the cold grass that had been growing in this spot for too many years.

"I love him Mia. I love him. I want to leave everything for him. That's selfish. That's wrong." Maya yelled to the ground where her sisters' earthy body lay, as light rain began to fall. She felt like maybe, just maybe, if she was louder than the wind, Mia just might hear her cries.

But it was hopeless. Mia couldn't hear her. Mia couldn't help her.

Tears streaming down her face, she reached out and traced her sisters' name in the cold granite.

Mia would tell her to follow her heart and not her head. She knew that. But hearts break a lot easier than heads. Maya sat still for a few minutes, clutching at Mia's headstone. Her life was a mess and there was no simple solution. Mia would fix things. Mia would find a make everyone happy. Maya felt inferior.

The rain began to come down harder, but Maya barely registered it. Her beautiful, delicate masters' robes would no doubt be soaked through and muddy. But the condition of her clothing was the last thing on her mind. Her bangs stuck to her forehead as the rain mixed with her tears.

Nick was so mad at her, and with good reason. He cared so much about her. He would give anything just to help her, and she had treated him like dirt. Just because she was afraid of her own feelings. She told herself she didn't want to break his heart and that she was doing this for him. But deep down she knew that she was just as afraid of her own heart being broken. She was afraid of the pain she would feel when he left. Just like all men in Kurain eventually did.

"Nick." She sobbed to no one in particular. "I'm so sorry. I'm so very, very sorry."

Maya jumped as she felt the weight of a familiar blue jacket over her shoulders. It was dry and warm.

"I know." Phoenix said as he lifted the girl to her feet. "I'm sorry too."

She looked up at him, wondering how long he had been standing behind her. His shirt was soaked through and his hair was flat, but he still somehow managed to look as handsome as ever. She wondered how much he had heard, but she decided it best not to ask. Almost as if on cue, the wind died down and the rain slowed to a light sprinkle.

"Thank you." Maya said as Phoenix led her back towards the house.

"Don't mention it." Phoenix said casually.

"Are you still mad at me?" Maya asked. Phoenix scoffed and shook his head. "I'm mad at myself for acting like a jerk."

Maya opened her mouth to protest that he was not a jerk at all, but Phoenix beat her to it.

"But never mind that. It's over and done with now, right?"

"Right." Maya agreed, slightly puzzled. They walked in silence for a little while longer.

"Thank you." Maya said again.

"You already said that." Phoenix said.

"I meant for the jacket. Thanks for coming out in the rain to find me." Maya elaborated.

Phoenix sighed. It was a tired, but content sort of sigh. He didn't seem to be mad anymore at all.

"That's what friends are for." he said with a shrug. Neither of them missed the obvious hint of sadness in his voice.

As they trudged along the path and the main house came into view, Phoenix found himself wondering what her first thank you was for; while Maya wondered if he understood that she had thanked him for simply being Nick.

* * *

**A/N. RUH-ROH!! 1 step forward and TEN steps back! The tragedy! Poor Nick & Maya :(**

**EDIT: Sorry guys. Dealing with big family problems that involve an interstate move so this fic is on hiatus for now. :( I will finish it, but I need to sort some things out and get re settled. Thanks for your patience and thanks for reading.  
**


	21. Visits to the Vault

**Hey guys! Long time no see! I finally have a chapter for you, and while I am taking this fic off hiatus, I can't guarantee regular updates. I'll just do the best I can.**

**I haven't forgotten it and it will be finished.**

**Thank you all so much for continuing to read and comment.**

* * *

Althea Fey shivered and clutched her shawl closer as a cold wind whipped by. A slight dampness still lingered in the air after the evening's storm. Kurain was eerily silent at this time of night. It was well after midnight, and Althea knew everyone would be asleep. Maya and the pesky lawyer included. This was the perfect time to head down to the vault. She would not be disturbed or noticed.

She descended the stone steps slowly, the large door in front of her becoming more in focus as the light from her small gas lantern moved closer. Setting the lantern down, she reached into her pocket and pulled out the oddly shaped brass key that opened the door. She smiled to herself as she heard the familiar click of the vault door opening. Having a copy made of the Master's key was an act of pure brilliance. She had relinquished the original to Maya when she had returned to Kurain a few days ago. No one had any idea about the existence of a second key.

"_And nor will they."_ Althea thought to herself. The ability to come and go from the Kurain Vault without being detected was an advantage that she didn't plan on giving up any time soon.

Slipping inside, Althea closed the door behind her. She placed the lantern down on a worn wooden desk and set about lighting the lanterns that were fixed to the walls. Once the room had been sufficiently lit, Althea quickly located the tome she had been looking for.

The book was leather bound and unlabeled, but between these inconspicuous looking covers was a comprehensive history of all of Kurain's traditions, practices and laws right up until the birth of Mystic Meredith, Maya's grandmother. Althea flipped through the pages, scanning them hurriedly, searching for a particular name. Before long, she found the chapter relating to Maya's great, great grandmother and her own grandmother – Mara Fey.

"I can't believe it's going to be this easy." Althea said as she carefully tore the pages from the tome. Although she admittedly felt bad about damaging historic Kurain property, the benefits her plan would have for the village far outweighed one damaged book. Or at least that's what she told herself.

She checked the book to make sure there was no visible evidence of tampering, and returned it to its place on the shelf. With a triumphant smirk she stuffed the torn pages into her pocket, planning to dispose of them later.

Althea then extinguished the lanterns and headed out of the vault, locking the door once again behind her, leaving no evidence that she had even visited the vault at all.

* * *

"It's down here." Maya called to Phoenix as she headed down the stone steps.

"Careful!" Phoenix called out. "It's dark down there. You could slip and hurt yourself."

Maya rolled her eyes.

"I'm fine, Nick. Just hurry up and get down here with the lantern!"

Phoenix ambled down the remaining steps, and joined Maya at the large door to the vault. He placed his briefcase down and angled the lantern so Maya could clearly see the keyhole. She reached into the pocket of her kimono and pulled out an intricate looking black iron key. She held it up and grinned.

"I've never seen a key like that before." Phoenix remarked. Maya continued to grin.

"Yep. This is a special key. One of a kind. It's the Masters key, and only I can open the vault." She finished proudly, turning the key and unlocking the door.

Phoenix smiled. Maya seemed to be thrilled at such a perk, and who was he to deny her enthusiasm.

"Feel privileged, Nick. No outsider has ever been beyond this door before." She said as she ushered him inside.

"Lucky me." Phoenix quipped as he headed into the dark room, placing his briefcase down on a desk. Phoenix sniffed at the air, screwing his nose up slightly. "It smells like smoke in here."

Maya nodded as she moved around the room, lighting the lanterns. "It's probably just from me lighting these lanterns."

Phoenix nodded in reply, but he was sure he has smelled smoky air before Maya had even struck the first match. He shook his head lightly and dismissed the thought. He needed to focus on the job at hand.

"Now. What are we looking for?" he asked.

Placing the box of matches down, Maya scanned the numerous shelves of books and boxes of papers, chewing lightly on her bottom lip.

"Beats me." She said with a shrug. "I've never been in here before."

Phoenix stared at her.

"Are you serious, Maya?" he asked incredulously. Mountains of books and papers and she didn't have the faintest idea where to look? This could take weeks! Months! And time was something that was not on their side.

Maya shrugged again, opening a dusty box.

"There has to be something in here about Althea or Morgan. We have to find something to back up Mia's notes. She would have got all her information from this room. We need to finish what she started." Maya said, her eyes pleading. "Please, Nick. I know it's not going to be easy, but I need your help." She finished.

Phoenix sighed and headed over to where she was kneeling, rifling through a box of paperwork. Of course he was going to help her. Despite the dank air filling up his nostrils and the dust flying around the room, one glance at the girl sitting across from him was all Phoenix needed to convince himself there was no place he would rather be.

She was distracting, yes, Phoenix admitted to himself as he watched her sift through the contents of the box in front of her knees. Satisfied that it did not contain anything of significance, she pushed it aside with a small frown and started on the next box.

His mind wandered to the night prior. He could not believe that he had the courage to kiss her. It was a memory he would treasure, even if she had decided that they would just be friends. He wasn't going to stop loving her, and even though she didn't know he was standing behind her last night as she wept at Mia's grave, he had heard her tell her sister that she felt the same way about him. She obviously believed that she was protecting him in some way by keeping him at arms length, and he would allow her to keep that impression. For now, at least.

"Earth to Nick?" Maya said, snapping Phoenix from his reverie.

"Hmm?" he responded, raising his eyebrows.

Maya thrust a sheet of paper in his direction.

"What's this?" he asked, taking it from her outstretched hand.

"Mia's birth certificate." Maya answered as she continued to pull papers from the box. "It seems this box is full of stuff about my mother. Oh, here's mine." Maya finished, shoving another sheet of paper in Phoenix's direction. He took it and read the details, his eyebrows arching in surprise.

"Wait a minute. Your father's name is listed on both these certificates as Sebastian Fey." Phoenix affirmed. Maya nodded slowly in response, her expression showing that she didn't understand the relevance of what he was saying. "Fey? How can his name be Fey? Althea told us that he was a lawyer that your mother met while studying away from the village."

"Oh." Maya said, finally understanding his question. "Traditionally, men take the women's name after marriage in Kurain, especially if the woman is in a position of power."

Phoenix scoffed.

"There is no way I'm changing my name to Fey," he remarked.

Maya froze as a blush crept across her cheeks. She blinked a few times at Phoenix who came to the stark realisation that his inner monologue had failed him. He hadn't meant to say that out loud, but it appeared that he had. He tore his gaze away from hers and cleared his throat nervously. The noise seemed to be enough to snap Maya back to reality also and she began sifting through papers once more, although her blush remained and she appeared flustered.

"It's a shame." Phoenix said, as he pored over the birth certificates.

"What is?" Maya asked.

"Well if your father's real name had been listed on your birth certificate, maybe we would have been able to find out more about him. Maybe you have family members that you've never met? Grandparents, cousins, uncles, aunts…" Phoenix trailed off.

"Maybe…" Maya said, a small, wistful smile on her face.

"There must be something we can find out about him." Phoenix said, placing a hand on Maya's shoulder. Maya smiled weakly.

"But that's not what we are here for." She said softly before turning her attention back to the paperwork. Phoenix's heart went out to her. She had been alone so long. An idea began forming in his head. He sprung to his feet and pulled out his cell phone.

"Augh. No reception." He said, looking at the screen.

"Of course not, silly. We're underground." Maya chuckled.

Phoenix turned and headed for the door.

"I'll be right back." He yelled over his shoulder as he sprinted up the stairs, dialling Gumshoe's number as soon as his phone picked up a reception bar. Squinting at the sudden sunlight, Phoenix tapped his foot impatiently as the phone continued to ring.

"C'mon Gumshoe. Pick up!" he muttered. The phone rang a few more times before finally being answered.

"Hey Pal!" said the cheery voice on the other end of the phone. "I've been trying to call you all morning. Where have you been?"

"Hi Gumshoe." Phoenix said. "I'm still in Kurain. The reception isn't the best in a lot of areas here. What's up? Why have you been trying to contact me?"

"It's the Fey case." Gumshoe responded. "They're opening a murder investigation. They found unidentified toxins in Lillian's blood."

Phoenix was surprised.

"I bet she didn't count on that happening. Althea has already pinned Mia for Lillian's death here in Kurain. Well at least that's what she told Maya."

"Mia? Mia Fey is dead, pal." Gumshoe stated, confusion evident in his voice.

Phoenix sighed. Gumshoe knew about the Fey's and their ability to channel the dead and he was not about to waste time explaining it to him yet again. He could be so dense sometimes.

"Besides." Gumshoe continued. "Althea Fey was adamant that the report be ruled natural causes."

"I figured she would be." Phoenix said, frowning. "There's more to this story, Gumshoe. I'll get back to you when I have some more information that might be of help. Please let me know if you find anything too."

"Will do, pal." Gumshoe replied.

"Oh, Gumshoe, there's one more thing. I have a favour to ask." Phoenix said.

"Yeah, what is it?"

"I'm wondering if you could run the defense attorney database for a lawyer by the name of Sebastian."

"No problem, pal. You got a first name?" Gumshoe asked.

"Well, that's the problem. Sebastian is the only name I have, and it's his given name, not a surname." Phoenix added.

"Oh. Well that's going to make things a lot more difficult." Gumshoe remarked.

"I know, just do what you can. I'd appreciate it." Phoenix said.

"I'll be in touch, pal." Gumshoe said before hanging up.

Phoenix turned and headed back downstairs where Maya seemed to be building an impressive pile of relevant documents.

"You seem to be getting somewhere now." Phoenix quipped. Maya looked up at him and smiled.

"I think I hit a lucky box." She said. "I think there's a lot of stuff in here that no one was meant to find. There's a whole bunch of stuff about Hazakurain. There used to be hundreds of people living there, can you believe that?"

"Wow, that is something." Phoenix said, sitting down on the floor once more.

"This whole box. We should take it with us." Maya said, nodding her head animatedly. "We should take it somewhere safe."

"I thought you were the only one with a key to this place?" Phoenix asked. "Shouldn't it be safe here?"

"It should," Maya frowned. But I don't trust Althea. "We should take it."

"Okay." Phoenix said with a shrug, as he helped Maya load all of the paperwork she had pulled out back into the box. "So I just spoke to Gumshoe..." Phoenix began.

"Yeah? What about?"

"He said that Lillian's case is being turned into a murder investigation."

Maya frowned.

"Did they find something?"

"Toxins in her blood." Phoenix replied. "Althea was very resolute that they rule Lillian's death as natural. She's not going to be happy when she finds out that the police know different."

"I would say not." Maya agreed. "But this will work in our favour. It will distract her from whatever she and Andre are planning, or at least slow them down."

Maya paused, thinking for a minute. "What if…"

"What?" Phoenix asked.

"Maybe I could channel Lillian. We could find out exactly what happened. It might help Gumshoe's investigation in some way."

Phoenix nodded as Maya took on her meditative stance. She closed her eyes and began to concentrate and Phoenix waited for her appearance to change. But nothing happened.

Maya frowned and tried again. Still nothing.

"It's not working. I don't get it." Maya said, clearly frustrated.

"Could Althea have blocked her too?" Phoenix asked.

Maya's shoulders slumped. She nodded slowly. She should have known that Althea would have already thought of that.

"Nick…" Maya croaked. "How are we going to win when she's always ten steps ahead?"

Maya was fighting back tears as Phoenix lifted her to her feet. He didn't have an answer for her. He wished that he did.

"C'mon. We should get out of here." He said softly. Maya nodded absently as Phoenix leaned down to pick up the box of papers.

"We'll just have to get ten steps ahead of her." Phoenix said gently as they continued to gather up their things. "And this box of paperwork will help us do that."

Maya nodded, giving him the best smile she could manage. She turned and moved towards the door, but a sheet of paper slipped out of the folder she held in her arms and fell to the floor.

"Wait." Phoenix said, kneeling down to pick it up. "You dropped this."

He glanced at the document, before quickly realising that this was a deed of ownership. And it was in her parent's names.

"Maya, did you know that your parents owned land somewhere?" Phoenix said handing the paper to her. She shook her head.

"Woodlands Road? I know where that is. It's about an hour from here." Maya said, reading the document.

"Maybe we should go check it out?" Phoenix suggested.

* * *

Phoenix brought the pushbike to a stop next to the spot where Maya had left hers. His legs were killing him. He felt like they had been riding for hours, but in reality it was more like 45 minutes. Maya seemed to develop an abundance of energy when Phoenix had suggested that they go check out the land her parents had owned, which actually now belonged to her.

And as it turned out, what Maya had inherited wasn't just land.

Letting his bike fall to the ground, Phoenix headed over to where Maya stood, looking up at a run down and unfinished two storey house. The design and fixings were breathtaking, and Phoenix could tell that if it had had a chance to be completed, it would have been a beautiful home. He glanced down at Maya, and was surprised to see her expression was pained, and she was fighting back tears.

"What is it? What's the matter Maya?" Phoenix asked worriedly.

Maya shook her head.

"My life, Nick. My happy life. My normal childhood. My family. It was meant to happen in this house."

Tears began to trail down her cheeks. Phoenix placed an arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer to him. She rested her head against his shoulder, still looking up at the house.

Phoenix closed his eyes and vowed silently that one day, he would make sure she had the happy family she had always dreamed about.

And as for the people who took this perfect white house and all it represented from her? He was going to make them pay.


	22. Digging Up Kurain's Skeletons

**A/N. Well. Here I am after a year and a half. Heck I don't even know if anyone is still reading this story, but I guess I'm more finishing it for me than anything else. The last year and a half has been hell. It has involved an interstate move, the death of two very important family members very close together and an interstate move back again. I lost my heart for a while – I didn't feel like writing at all. In fact I didn't feel like doing much of anything. But I write as a job, so eventually I had to start again and after a lot of trial and error and false starts I finished my first novel. I'm now three quarters through my second and working for a magazine part time as well. Writing takes up a lot of my time. I had forgotten about this story until I was copying files from an old laptop hard drive to my new one and I found my notes. I have it planned out until the end, with roughly 40 chapters including the epilogue. Regarding the name change, well I feel it was a long time coming. (Like the new chapters! Ha!) "That Look" was envisioned as a three chapter short story ending with around where Chapter Eight did with a hell of a lot less in between. It was going to be centric around Maya's facial expressions and the emotions they evoked from Phoenix. Then the story took off and quickly outgrew its title and summary. I think the new one fits the story better. **

**I used to publish this story on Court-Records as well, but I can't seem to get on there at all. :/  
**

**Fanfiction is a great way for me to let off steam as a writer. Working with established characters and relationships is a lot less stressful than creating your own. Plus, I'm anonymous here and I can be as crazy as I like! So thanks for reading and I hope you continue enjoy my story.**

**

* * *

**The office looked like a bomb had hit it. Phoenix sat on the floor with his back against the couch, not far from Maya who was rifling through yet another box they had sent back from Kurain, all of which had arrived this morning. He glanced around the usually tidy space, surveying the carnage. Boxes and manila folders were scattered throughout the office, seemingly in no semblance of order. He was inwardly thankful that he didn't have any clients at the moment. God forbid, one would show up right now. How much faith could they put in such a disorganised lawyer?

No one had blinked an eye at the amount of paperwork that Maya organised to have couriered to the Wright & Co office before she had left. It was agreed that she would be running things and continuing her studies in the city and Althea excluded, everyone in Kurain seemed quite happy that the Master was "on board" so to speak. By the time they had left yesterday morning many of the changes that Maya had suggested to improve Kurain were already in their early stages. Althea had been conspicuous in her absence for the remainder of their visit, and Phoenix wasn't sure whether to be relieved or worried.

Maya sprang to her feet, startling Phoenix out of his quiet thoughts. She crossed the room and opened another box. After picking up a piece of paper and matching it with the one she was holding, she let out a quiet "Ah-ha!" before returning to her spot on the floor beside Phoenix. Given the amount of paper in the room, he was surprised that she was able to just walk up to a box and find what she had been looking for. Mia's files and notes were thoroughly lost within the piles of Kurain records. What a mess.

"How on Earth do you know where anything is?" he inquired.

"It's organised chaos, Nick." She quipped, still engrossed in her papers.

"I think I prefer plain old organised." He retorted.

"Of course you would." She agreed dryly. "Take a look at these!" she added after a light pause, handing some sheets of paper to Phoenix.

"What are they?" he asked, scanning the contents. Lots of numbers. Numbers weren't really his thing.

"Well, I think they're bank statements. The first one is Pearl's trust fund, which I knew she had. But I didn't realise there was _that_ much money in there." Maya explained. "I have no idea who the second one belongs to. I don't know anyone by the name Parker, but the deposits come from Kurain too. The account is almost as old as I am."

Phoenix frowned as he skimmed over the numbers. Pearls was on track to be a millionaire once she was old enough to be eligible for that money. Morgan must have been setting this up to take care of her daughter. _"And herself."_ Phoenix thought, irritated.

"So much for Althea's claims that Kurain was too poor to make any of the changes you suggested at the council meeting." Phoenix said. He turned the page over, noticing something strange. Numbers he might not be good with, but dates he could certainly remember.

"Look." He continued, pointing to the second half of the back page. "The payments continue after Morgan went to prison, so it couldn't be her."

Maya thought for a moment before replying.

"It'd have to be Althea." she said. "No one can move money in Kurain without her knowing about it. Well, except for me."

"So you're saying you _don't _need me to pay for all your burgers?" Phoenix said, feigning a hurt expression. Maya giggled.

"Don't be silly, Nick. I could be a billionaire and I'd still make you take me out for burgers." Maya said with an innocent smile. Phoenix scoffed.

"Maya. That's just..."

Rather than finishing his sentence, Phoenix reached up behind him to the couch, found a cushion and threw it at his young assistant. Her reflexes weren't fast enough to catch it and it hit her square in the face, before landing in her lap.

"Hey!" she complained, blowing her bangs out of her eyes with a soft huff. She picked up the cushion and hurled it back at him. With a laugh, he ducked to the left, sending the cushion skidding over his shoulder and into a pile of papers on the floor, making an even bigger mess.

"Oops." She said softly, a light blush colouring her cheeks. The corner of Phoenix's lip turned up in a small smile. She was so pretty when she was embarrassed.

He continued to stare at her, a slightly dazed look on his face and a half smile. Her blush deepened when she realised he was staring. She looked away with a small smile, long lashes sweeping down across high cheekbones. Realising he was making things awkward and not keeping his end of the 'friends' bargain, he stood to retrieve the cushion.

"Now you've done it." He joked over his shoulder as he bent down and picked up the cushion, throwing it back on the couch.

"I did not!" he heard Maya gasp from behind him.

"Yeah you did. You threw it." Phoenix said coolly, sitting down beside her again.

"You threw it first!" she countered.

"Because you were mean." He explained calmly.

She scowled and puffed her cheeks out at him, reminding him a great deal of the naive girl he had taken on as his assistant three years ago. Everything they had been through had changed the both of them.

She'd grown up so much.

* * *

Phoenix hung up the phone and rubbed his eyes. He'd phoned Gumshoe hoping that he might be able to help them find out more about the bank accounts. Who had opened them, registered addresses and the like. Every little bit of information helped.

It was late now, and Maya sat at her desk, organising piles of papers. They had spent the entire day and evening going through every last box, pulling out anything with any mention of Morgan Fey or Althea Fey and they had been surprised at what they had found. Althea's signature was on Morgan's bail forms and court documents from the Dr Grey case. Bail had been refused, but the forms showed Althea had tried. Why was Althea so desperate to get Morgan out of prison? And why was she allowing so much money to be transferred to these bank accounts? There were also a lot of documents alluding to the 'handling of the Hazakurain Incident', but there was never any more information beyond that. Whatever it was though, it was bad. As usual, the answers just raised more questions.

Maya yawned and stretched, putting the papers down and staring ahead blankly. She looked tired, and Phoenix was thankful that she at least ate the takeaway burgers that he had brought back for dinner. Now, she needed sleep.

"You look like you need to go to bed, young lady." Phoenix said, leaning back in his chair. Maya narrowed her eyes at him.

"You don't look so crash hot yourself, _old man_." She replied with a sardonic smile.

"Save it." He said, ignoring her barb and waving his hand dismissively. "I'm going to bed shortly myself. I just have to make a couple more phone calls."

"Mmm hmm." Maya nodded and with another yawn as she stood up and headed for the stairs. "G'night Nick." She added sleepily.

"Good night, Maya." He replied, watching her ascend the stairs before turning his attention back to his desk.

He picked up the phone and dialled the number for the main house at Hazakurain. Maybe Iris or Bikini knew something about this 'incident' that the documents kept referring to.

"_I'm sorry. The number you have dialled is not available. Please check the number and dial again."_

Phoenix sighed and hung up the phone. The number was right, which must mean that the lines were down. With the amount of snow storms they had been having, it wasn't out of the question. Answers would have to wait until tomorrow. Now though it was time for sleep. Phoenix clicked off his desk lamp and headed upstairs.

* * *

"I see." Andre said, resting his chin in his hands as he leaned his elbows on the table. Althea sat across from him looking very pleased with herself.

"I don't see any way it could fail." Althea mused, taking a sip of her tea. "No one has as much information as I do, and I have removed everything else from the vault."

"It's clever, I'll give you that." Andre said with a slight nod. "But the lawyer will be furious."

"A satisfying bonus." Althea quipped with a small shrug. "Maya will agree. There's nothing he can do about it."

"What do you need me to do?" Andre asked. He liked this plan. Althea's explanations were detailed and intelligent. She had thought of everything. It sounded far more likely to succeed than the tidbits of information his mother had fed him. He also liked the idea of the suffering it would bring to Phoenix and Maya. They would get what they deserved.

"I think the best thing would be for you to disappear. Maya and the lawyer are suspicious and untrusting of you, and this plan will only work if I appear to be compliant with the Master's wishes. If I tell her that I have 'sent you away' it will work in my favour. Of course you will stay in the village, but just stay out of sight whenever she visits between now and when all this comes together." Althea explained. Andre nodded. Once again, she made sense.

"Understood." He paused, processing the information. "What about my mother?" he added.

"Just keep telling her that everything is progressing according to her plans. What she doesn't know won't hurt her. She'll thank me for this one day."

* * *

Maya ran up the Winding Way, her bare feet pounding against the wooden planks with a dull 'thud thud thud'. Reaching the end, she slid the door open. It was dark inside but her eyes adjusted quickly. The air was thick and the smell of blood was all around her. Her stomach lurched. She scanned the room locating the body on the floor, blood pooling around him and into the fabric of the blue suit she loved so much.

"NICK!" Her voice came out as a garbled scream as she lunged towards him. She dropped to her knees, cradling his lifeless body against her own and rocking, rocking, rocking.

"Nick... oh Nick..." she sobbed. Blood splattered the front of his shirt, and a small trickle ran from the corner of his mouth. He was dead.

"That's what you get..." a deep, silky voice began, almost musically from a dark corner of the room. "...for sticking your nose where it doesn't belong."

Andre Fey stepped forward towards Maya. She let out a small yelp and clutched Phoenix closer to her.

Andre twirled his father's knife in his hands. His hands were covered in blood.

"Mystic Maya." He said emotionlessly. "Whatever will I do with you now that you know too much?"

"YOU'RE INSANE!" Maya screamed at him, tears running freely.

"Oh no. No no no no no, my dear! I disagree! I am very much sane. And I know that this village needs to be cleansed of your pathetic blood line." He seethed, taking another step towards her. Realising the danger, Maya scrambled away from Phoenix and ran for the door. Thunder rumbled outside and a bolt of lightning illuminated the figure blocking the doorway.

"You're not going anywhere..." Althea Fey said, her voice icy.

Maya cried out and fell backwards, shrinking away from Althea, while Andre moved closer behind her. She glanced over at where Phoenix lay, cold and lifeless. She whispered his name and squeezed her eyes shut, accepting her fate.

* * *

Maya awoke with a start, a small yelp choking its way from her throat. She sat up, looking around for Phoenix before she remembered that she was in her own room again and he was sleeping down the hall. Since they had returned to the city she had been sleeping on her own and the nightmares were getting worse.

She missed his warmth, the smell of him and the security he gave her. She didn't have nightmares when he was with her. Just peaceful sleep. She sighed, sitting up and swinging her legs over the edge of the bed. She knew their decision to just be friends was for the best but she just wanted to see his face right now. She needed to know that he was okay.

She crept silently down the hall and carefully opened his bedroom door, peeking inside. The light from the Gatewater Hotel illuminated his room, and she stifled a small chuckle at the sight of him on his stomach, one leg under the covers, one out with his mouth open slightly, snoring softly into the pillow the she had slept on before their visit to Kurain. She smiled to herself and closed the door with a soft click.

Feeling better with the knowledge that Phoenix was alive and well, Maya returned to her room hoping that the nightmares would leave her alone for the rest of the night and she could get some much needed sleep.

* * *

**A/N: Ahh I really enjoyed writing those two again. Perhaps it's time to play through the games again so I can get a feel for all my characters once more. I'm aiming for a couple of chapters a week.**

**Also: NEW PHOENIX ON THE 3DS! FANGIRL SQUEE!**


	23. Dragons, Burgers and Bridges

**A/N: LOOOOONG chapter. I don't know what happened, this one just kept growing.**

**But first of all, REVIEWERS! I am so thrilled that you guys are still reading. Thanks so much. I'm glad you've stuck with me.**

**Secondly, I realise I've been leaving my disclaimer off, so contrary to my wishes, I don't own Ace Attorney or any of its already established characters. However, from this chapter I can lay claim to Althea Fey, Sebastian Parker, Mister Dragon, Pickles and the waitress from hell :D**

**This chapter also contains dialogue directly from AA Investigations. I didn't write it. You'll know when you see it. Also, this chapter hints microscopically at EdgeyxFran. I apologise if that's not how you roll.**

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* * *

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Maya sat at Phoenix's desk, trying to make sense of her sister's notes. It was hard. Mia's handwriting was atrocious at best which didn't make it any easier to decipher the words that all seemed out of context and nonsensical. The names Luciana Armando and Audrina Fey kept appearing on the messy pages along with 'Hazakurain' but Maya had never heard either of those names before. How was it possible that there was another Fey that she knew nothing about? Mia was always really bad with names. Maya hoped she hadn't got these ones wrong too. The whole thing was positively confusing. If only they could reach her to help them make sense of everything.

Exhaling heavily, Maya pinched the bridge of her nose.

"_Great."_ She thought dismally. _"It's not even 10am and I'm getting a headache. This is going to be an awesome day."_

Sitting back, she allowed herself to observe the state of Phoenix's usually impeccable office space. There were still boxes and piles of paper all around, but she was slowly getting through them all. It looked nowhere near as bad as it did a few days ago when the boxes had arrived.

Idly tapping her pen on the desk, she wondered where Phoenix was. He had already been gone when she got up at six that morning, finding a hasty "Back Later" scrawled on a sticky note stuck to her forehead. She laughed again, as she had when she woke up and realised what he had done. She'd been sleeping so heavily that she hadn't even known he was in her room, let alone felt him stick the small yellow note to her brow.

"_Nick is so silly sometimes."_ She thought to herself with a smile. She could just imagine him laughing at himself after he left her room. He always thought his jokes were way funnier than everyone else did. Still, he'd been gone a few hours and he hadn't called. Where could he be? Maya pondered the possibilities.

"_Maybe Pickles chased him into the alleyway again..."_ she wondered to herself.

Pickles was a very big, very mean Doberman that lived down the street. He would chase anyone if he managed to get out of his yard, but he especially loved to chase Phoenix. Maya always joked that Phoenix's blue suit made him mad, like a bull with a red cloth. Phoenix though, believed that he was chasing Maya to try and 'fetch' the ball type fasteners she used to tie her hair. Yet another joke that he thought was funnier than it actually was. However, last time they had an encounter with Pickles, neither of their theories were of any use. They only managed to escape the dog when Phoenix snatched the remainder of Maya's burger from her hands and threw it to Pickles to distract him while they ran for their lives.

Thinking that too unexciting of a scenario, Maya continued to speculate over Phoenix's potential predicament.

"_Maybe it's not Pickles that has him trapped in the alleyway. Maybe... Maybe it's a dragon!"_

Pickles disappeared with a poof of smoke from Maya's imagined scene of Phoenix cowering in the alleyway, only to be quickly replaced by a great big green dragon. She chuckled.

"_And maybe the dragon wants BURGERS!"_ she thought with a grin. She began absentmindedly doodling a rudimentary depiction of Phoenix being towered over by a hungry dragon on the notepad beside her. She added a little speech bubble with the words "RAWR! BURGERS!" for effect. Giggling, she put down her pen and picked up her cell phone.

"I guess I'd better call him." She said aloud to herself, selecting his contact and hitting call. She picked up her pen again and started making enhancements to her drawing as she put the phone to her ear. Phoenix answered after four rings.

"Maya!" he said cheerily. He sounded out of breath.

"Nick..." she said, her small frown evident in her voice. "Where are you? Is there a dragon?" She added after a small pause.

"Don't worry I-" Phoenix started. "A Dragon? Maya, what are you talking about?" he finished, puzzled.

"Nothing." She grinned. "Where are you?"

"I'm almost back. I won't be-" Phoenix paused, and Maya could hear a muffled high pitched voice in the background. "No-wait-it's supposed-" he said in an exasperated tone, presumably to the owner of the voice.

"Hold on a second." He said to Maya. A rustling noise signified that Phoenix had covered the speaker of the phone. She could hear him talking animatedly to someone, but the sound was not distinct enough for her to make out any words. What was he up to?

"Anyway, I'll be back soon." Phoenix said, returning to the phone. High pitched voice was silent.

"Niiiiiick..." Maya droned, her tone suspicious. "What are you up to?"

"Nothing! Nothing!" he chuckled. She could hear the badly covered lie in the timbre of his voice. "See you soon!"

Maya hung up the phone, even more confused than she was before she had called him. Shaking her head, she turned her attention back to Mister Dragon. Funnily enough, between Mia's illogical notes and whatever was attributing to Phoenix's absence, a giant green burger hungry dragon was the most rational thing she had seen all day.

* * *

It was less than ten minutes later when Phoenix barged through the door of the Wright & Co office, the noise startling Maya from her dragon masterpiece. Looking up, her shocked expression broke into a beaming smile as the mystery of Phoenix's whereabouts and secrecy were immediately solved.

"Surprise!" He said with a grin.

"Pearly!" Maya exclaimed as the little girl leapt from Phoenix's arms and ran to her, enveloping her in the biggest hug her little body could manage. "What are you doing here?" She hugged Pearl again.

"Mr Nick is taking us to Gatewater Land!" Pearl said excitedly, her eyes wide.

Maya looked up at Phoenix and raised an eyebrow. He continued to grin at her.

"Nick, I don't know if I can... there's just so much to do here..." Maya said worriedly, her voice trailing off as she looked around the room. She didn't want to disappoint Pearl, but finding these answers was really important.

"Nonsense." Phoenix said. "You've been working so hard these last few days that I think you need to take today off." He finished matter-of-factly.

Maya still didn't look convinced.

"I brought Pearls all the way here!" Phoenix added, hoping that vague emotional blackmail would sway her. As expected, she faltered.

"Oh, alright then." She conceded.

"_Success!"_ Phoenix thought excitedly. He knew there was no way Maya could say no to Pearl. Mission: Get Maya Out Of The Office Today had gone off without a hitch. While Phoenix did indeed have an ulterior motive for the visit to Gatewater Land today, Maya didn't need to know about it. As far as she was concerned, today would be all about fun.

"Dirty tactics, Nick." Maya mused, pointedly glancing at Pearl as she moved from the desk to follow the pair out the door. "I'd hate to see you play poker. I bet you'd cheat."

* * *

Gatewater Land was alive and buzzing, with happy people everywhere. From the moment they had walked through the gates, Maya found herself soaking in the atmosphere and with all the smiles and laughter around her she found herself forgetting all about Kurain and the figurative dark clouds that the small mountain village always seemed to attract.

"So." Phoenix began. "What do you two lovely ladies want to do first?"

Maya's stomach growled audibly, as if right on cue. Phoenix laughed.

"Well then, I guess we eat!" he decided, directing the girls towards a nearby burger shack. Phoenix suggested they take a seat at one of the tables outside to make the most of the fresh air and sunshine. Pearl began to chatter excitedly about all the things she wanted to do at the park, when their waitress arrived.

Assaulted by the strong smell of perfume, Maya screwed up her nose. The waitress stood over her, chewing gum. She appeared distracted and unimpressed, her over made up face wearing an impassive expression. Then she caught sight of Phoenix as he lowered his menu. She immediately straightened up and put on her best practiced smile, batting her lashes. Maya scowled.

"_Typical."_ Maya thought dejectedly. She had to admit though, it was somewhat satisfying that Phoenix had yet to even glance in the woman's direction.

"Hey gorgeous." She drawled at him. "What can I get you today?"

"I'm not sure." Phoenix said, still lost in thought. "I'm thinking something with chicken. Any suggestions?" he asked, still looking at his menu.

"Well," she purred, "The Hawaiian burger is divine. Chicken, pineapple and a sweet salsa. It's a big enough burger to fill up a…" she paused, eyeing him up and down. "…strapping man like yourself."

She was practically leaning on Phoenix's shoulder, trying desperately to get his attention. He continued to read the menu, oblivious to her advances. The waitress cast an irritated glance at Maya, who by this stage was absolutely fuming.

Maya straightened her posture in her seat and cleared her throat, glaring at the waitress-from-hell.

"We also have fabulous kids' meals for your... two little guests." The waitress finished sweetly. Maya balled her fists at her sides.

"I don't know..." Phoenix said, seemingly ignoring the woman's last comment. He closed his menu and set it down on the table. "I can't say I'm that big a fan of pineapple."

He finally glanced in her direction, his expression indifferent. Her smile widened as his eyes met hers. She appeared to be searching his face for some sign of approval. His expression didn't change.

"You know what?" Phoenix began as he turned his attention to Maya. His expression softened as he gazed at her making her heart flutter and her stomach do back flips. Without breaking eye contact, he reached across the table and took her hand. Maya glanced quickly to her left, relieved that Pearl's view was obscured by the giant menu she was holding in front of her. The little girl was blissfully unaware of the exchange between her beloved Mr Nick & Mystic Maya. If she could see the way Phoenix was looking at her, Maya knew she'd start planning their wedding.

"I think… I'll have…" Phoenix drawled, bringing Maya's hand to his lips and placing a soft kiss against her knuckles. "…Whatever my _little guest_ is having."

From the corner of her eye, Maya caught the shocked expression of the waitress, but even the prospect of gloating wasn't enough to tear herself away from Phoenix's piercing gaze. He placed her hand back on the table, still holding it gently.

Moments later, (or was it minutes? Hours maybe?) Maya registered the waitress clearing her throat impatiently, obviously waiting on her order.

"Ahh… uhh… Ch-cheeseburger…" Maya managed to stammer. Phoenix's eyes twinkled mischievously, still locked with her own.

"A kids meal for the little one." He added, without sparing a glance for the unimpressed waitress. Her pleasant demeanour forgotten, she snatched up the menus and stormed off.

"Hey!" Pearl cried as her menu was pulled from her grasp, turning around in her chair and watching the woman stride away.

Phoenix let go of Maya's hand and leaned back in his chair, a smug smile plastered on his lips. Maya's heart was still pounding so violently in her chest that she was sure he would hear it. She could feel a strong blush heating her cheeks.

"Nick… you-you didn't have to do that." She said softly. Phoenix merely shrugged in reply.

"She was rude." He justified.

Pearl turned back to the two adults at the table, glancing quickly back and forth between them. She frowned. They were always acting so strange. Catching sight of Maya's reddened cheeks; she let out a small gasp.

"Mystic Maya!" she cried. "You're sunburned already! We just got here. Mr Nick, you'll have to keep Mystic Maya out of the sun. She burns so easily."

Phoenix raised an eyebrow and chuckled at Maya, who in response turned an even deeper shade of red.

* * *

A short while later, a different waitress showed up with their meals, along with some crayons and paper for Pearl. She finished her lunch and was soon engrossed in her latest artwork.

Maya sighed, contented.

"Thank for this, Nick." She said earnestly. "I think I really needed it."

"My pleasure." He replied. They sat in a comfortable silence for a while longer, enjoying the soft breeze that drifted by.

"I'm surprised they let you take Pearly without me there with you," Maya said, breaking the silence.

"Yeah." Phoenix said, a small frown creasing his brow. "You know, this is totally weird, but Althea was actually really nice to me."

"Really?" Maya asked incredulously. "We are talking about the same woman, right?"

"I know," Phoenix shrugged. "I don't get it either."

"Maybe she's realised that being nice is so much easier than being mean?" Maya questioned.

"Doubtful." Phoenix replied. "It just makes me think that she's up to something. I'd feel less uneasy if she was her usual _charming_ self."

Maya groaned.

"I wish she'd just give up already! Or maybe… move to Peru or something."

"Peru?" Phoenix laughed.

"Yeah." Maya said, the serious look on her face making him laugh even harder.

They sat for a while longer, watching the other visitors wander past while Pearl continued to draw quietly. Exasperated parents were dragged every which way by their excited children and young couples held hands and gazed lovingly at each other as they leisurely strolled by.

"So what next?" Maya inquired, resting her elbows on the table.

"I don't know," Phoenix replied with a frown. "I guess it all depends on what we can get out of all that paperwork."

Maya laughed. The sound was light, almost musical. He wasn't expecting that from her. He eyed her quizzically.

"I meant today, silly." She laughed again. "We've finished lunch, so what now?"

"Oh!" Phoenix realised. "I thought we could take a boat ride. If I remember correctly, you've never been out on a boat before, right?"

Maya smiled. She was surprised he even remembered that. Gourd Lake. It felt like forever ago.

"Sounds great." Maya said. She turned to look in the direction of the lake, glimmering beautifully in the bright sunlight when a flash of something very familiar caught her eye. She gasped.

"Hey!" she cried, eyes widening. "Isn't that…?"

Maya trailed off, not finishing her sentence, but she didn't need to. Phoenix followed her line of sight, inwardly groaning. It was. He had totally forgotten. He glanced down at his watch and quickly stood up. A small 'tch' sound escaped his lips. He was late.

"Oh my gosh he's with a _girl_!" Maya squealed, still watching the familiar male she had spotted.

"Maya, can I leave you with Pearls for a few minutes? I'll be right back."

"Yes, yes, go!" she ordered. "I want to hear _all_ about this." Phoenix smirked. Gossipy Maya reminded him of Mia when she used to phone Maya back in Kurain all those years ago. Little aspects of Maya's mannerisms and expressions were a constant reminder of the Chief. It made him smile. He moved past her, his hand lingering on her shoulder.

"Watch out for dragons!" he heard her call as he strode away. He frowned, confused.

_"Seriously."_ He thought. _"What is with the dragons?"_

_

* * *

_

"Wright." The man said stoically.

"Hello Edgeworth," Phoenix greeted his friend.

"You're late." Edgeworth admonished.

"I know. I'm sorry. I got caught up." Phoenix lied.

"Yes, I'm sure." Edgeworth said, his tone suggesting that he didn't quite believe his spiky haired friend. Edgeworth glanced quickly over Phoenix's shoulder. Turning to follow his line of sight, Phoenix saw the young woman that Maya had spotted him with earlier, talking animatedly to the man at the hotdog cart about thirty feet away.

"Cute." Phoenix said, turning back to face him.

"I hadn't noticed," was the taciturn reply. Phoenix raised an eyebrow at him mockingly. "We don't all fall desperately in love with our assistants, Wright." Edgeworth finished. Phoenix scoffed lightly before responding.

"Good thing." he shrugged. "Franziska would be devastated."

To anyone else, Edgeworth's expression remained unchanged but to Phoenix's trained eye, the small twitch from his prosecutor friend may as well have been a declaration of undying and everlasting love for his former mentor's daughter.

"I can only assume that you didn't ask to speak to me today in order to inappropriately question me on my personal relations." Edgeworth stated aporetically.

Phoenix had phoned Edgeworth the night previous in the hope that he could help him find some information about Maya's defense attorney father. Gumshoe didn't appear to be having any luck, so Phoenix hoped that Edgeworth might be able to find something amongst the old prosecutors' records. Both he and Maya had been having so much trouble finding any answers at all and Phoenix was getting frustrated. Little did he know that his luck was about to change.

"Actually," Phoenix began, "I was hoping that you might be able to help me out with something. I'm looking for a defense attorney."

Edgeworth looked at him as if he had grown an extra head.

"The mirror, perhaps?" Edgeworth quipped. Phoenix shook his head in exasperation. Wait, did Edgeworth just make a joke?

"No, I need information. This man was an attorney about thirty years ago. The only information I have though is the first name Sebastian."

Edgeworth thought for a few moments.

"Well it could be anyone, but the only one that comes to mind is Sebastian Parker. He was a good friend of my fathers."

"Parker…" Phoenix gasped. "The name on the bank statement…"

"What?" Edgeworth asked.

"Nothing." Phoenix said quickly. "Do you know anything more about him?"

"Well," Edgeworth started. "I never actually met him, but he used to phone and talk to my father a lot. He married some woman and moved to the country. My father would lament about how 'the world lost a fine defense attorney'. He had a daughter, I believe. Or was it two? Perhaps if you find them, they might be of more help to you."

Phoenix was flabbergasted. After so many dead ends, had he actually found a piece of the puzzle that fit? He took a deep breath to try and soak the moment in.

"Wright?" Edgeworth quizzed. "Are you ill?"

"No, I'm fine." He replied quickly. "I have to go. I've got to get back to Maya."

He took off in the direction of the burger shack, Edgeworth's voice trailing behind him.

"Wait, do you need help finding his daughters?" Edgeworth offered. Phoenix turned back in his direction and shook his head.

"No. I have a pretty good idea where to find one of them right now." He said with a grin, before turning and sprinting off.

"Who was that?" Kay asked, having just returned with a hot dog in hand.

"No one." Edgeworth lied.

"_What a positively peculiar man."_ He thought to himself as Kay led him off in the opposite direction.

* * *

Gathering Maya and Pearl from the burger shack, the trio headed towards the boat dock with Phoenix desperately trying to share what he had learned with Maya, who continued to assault him with a barrage of questions about the girl with Edgeworth.

"So who is she?" Maya asked excitedly. "She's his girlfriend, huh?"

"No-" Phoenix began, flustered. "Look, I have no idea. But I have something more important to tell you." Maya didn't seem to be listening.

"I can't believe it!" she cried. "He's so… so…. Stuffy!"

Phoenix sighed heavily. Maya continued her prattling.

"I mean, he's good looking and all, but I can't believe he'd have a girlfriend!"

"Maya, you've got to li-" Phoenix paused.

"_Wait, did she just say Edgeworth was good looking?"_ he thought bitterly to himself. _"Ugh. Not important right now."_ He shook off the thought and tried again to get her attention.

"Oh! Franziska is going to be furious!" Maya gasped, unable to stifle a giggle.

Giving up, Phoenix just blurted it out.

"Sebastian Parker."

Maya froze.

"What did you say?" she questioned, turning to face Phoenix.

"It's… it's your father's name." He responded with a small smile. "He… ahh… knew Gregory Edgeworth."

Maya remained silent, blinking a few times while she tried to process the information. She frowned a little, and Phoenix could see her struggling to take labored breaths. He immediately felt guilty for telling her in such a blunt manner. This had to be the informational equivalent of throwing a bucket of ice water on her head. He took a step toward her, arm outstretched tentatively. Finally, she looked up at him, eyes wide.

"Nick… you…. you…" She babbled, her eyes filling with tears. She leapt towards him, closing her arms around his neck, choking back small sobs. He gently wrapped his arms around her waist, relieved that she was happy. She didn't seem to make the connection between the name and the bank statements that could potentially implicate her father in a negative manner, and he didn't bother reminding her. Now was not the time. Pearl's grin couldn't have been wider as she watched Phoenix and Maya in such an emotional embrace.

"You found his name…" Maya finished disbelievingly, her voice a whisper as she hugged him tighter. This small bit of information could quite possibly lead to many more discoveries. All of a sudden, solving the mysteries of Kurain and Hazakurain didn't seem so daunting. And family… she could have family out there too. Maya let go with a sniff, wiping her eyes with a small laugh. She was so happy. Today was the most amazing day.

"C'mon you guys!" Pearl called impatiently from a few feet away. She had already begun to cross the ornate wooden bridge that led to the boat docks. "We need to get to the romantic boat ride!"

Phoenix and Maya both laughed softly, heading toward the bridge. He stopped to read the information about the bridge on his map, turning to Maya and offering the folded paper to her to do the same. Maya read the words, committing them to memory. She smiled.

"Eventually." He said, taking her hand.

"Eventually." She nodded in agreement as they moved forward to catch up to Pearl, hand in hand. The little girl skipped along happily behind them as they crossed the bridge.

"I am _so_ happy right now!" Pearl squealed emphatically as she watched her two favourite people, content in being each others 'special someone'.

* * *

A short while later, Edgeworth and Kay approached the same bridge. Ever the romantic, Edgeworth scoffed at the sentiment.

_"Really. How juvenile." _he thought dismissively.

"They say that couples who cross this bridge together will find happiness." He remarked to Kay. "Or so the Gatewater Land pamphlet says."

Kay mused over the idea. It _was_ kind of silly.

"But you think they would already be happy because they were able to come together." She added, half in agreement with Edgeworth.

"Logistics aside," Edgeworth continued, "I wonder who came up with this tale and when? This bridge doesn't look old enough to be the stuff of legends."

He stopped to lean on the railing, spotting Phoenix, Maya and Pearl out on the lake in a small boat. He shook his head. This bridge nonsense was exactly the type of thing that Wright would go for, with all that blind optimism of his and what not. Beside him, Kay sighed briefly. The atmosphere of the lake and the blissful couples around her seemed to be softening her stance.

"Well some things are better left uninvestigated, don't you think? Ignorance is bliss!" she exclaimed happily, before turning to cross the remainder of the bridge.

Edgeworth cast one final glance at his defense attorney friend, before nodding in agreement and heading off after Kay.

* * *

**A/N: Phew! That was an effort. Confession: I haven't played Investigations yet. So I really hope Kay came out in character!**


	24. Old Habits Die Hard

**A/N: I've been editing and re-writing this chapter for weeks. I hope it came out okay!**

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Phoenix flopped back against the armrest of the couch, absent-mindedly tossing the small rubber ball that Pearl had left behind into the air before catching it again.

Toss. Catch. Toss. Catch.

His favourite red tie hung loosely around his neck and his shoes lay discarded on the floor beside him. He knew the position he was lying in would no doubt be flattening his hair and his suit was probably wrinkled as well, but he wasn't really bothered. He wondered idly why he bothered with the suit at all today. He hadn't done anything even remotely "lawyerly" as Maya would have put it. Some tracksuit pants and a hoodie would have been far more comfortable on a lazy day like today. Lazy for him, anyway.

"_Oh well."_ He thought to himself. _"Doesn't hurt to keep up appearances on the odd chance I do actually get a real client."_

He tossed the ball in the air a few more times before sighing audibly. He was bored. The sun had finally disappeared behind the horizon and soon it would be dark. He briefly contemplated getting up and switching the lights on, but the lamp on Maya's desk lit up the office sufficiently. She'd been sitting there for most of the day. The scritch-scritch sound of her pen against the paper might as well have been fingernails on a chalkboard in Phoenix's ears. He scowled and pouted childishly. He contemplated throwing the ball at her for a few moments before deciding that would be even more childish than pouting.

It had been a little over a week since their trip to Gatewater Land and he had noticed that something was seriously bugging Maya. Ever since Pearl had headed back to Kurain she had been slowly but surely slipping back into her old habit of overworking herself. Phoenix hadn't mentioned it to her yet, figuring it was best to let her work through things however she felt she needed to.

He supposed that going over Mia's files again was a valid idea. There may be further mentions of Maya's father that they had not noticed when they first read the files having only just discovered his real name. But Phoenix hadn't found anything noteworthy in the folders that he had been through, and he knew Maya hadn't either. But that hadn't stopped her from insisting that there must be something they had missed and taking it upon herself to go through everything for a third time.

He knew what she was doing. She had convinced herself that his name was the clue that they had been looking for. Her father's identity would pull everything together and make the puzzle pieces finally fit. But that wasn't the case. There was still so much more that they didn't know. Maya was getting frustrated and trying to find things that weren't there. She was obsessing over it, and Phoenix knew he would have to step in soon. He knew there were a few people who might have information that could help, but getting a hold of them was proving to be difficult.

On top of all that, Maya was also busy running Kurain. Signing contracts, reading proposals, organising upgrades and about a million other administrative tasks. She was adamant that she wished to stay with him in the city, only returning to Kurain for official duties, but the amount of work was wearing on her. What was the point of her hanging around if she would just be working all the time anyway. Phoenix suspected that Althea was making Maya's workload as rigorous as possible in order to make her feel that she needed to be in Kurain where help was readily available. What she failed to realise was that Maya had all the help she needed right here. He had no reservations about helping her with the contracts and legalities, but he wasn't going to help tonight. She had been a paperwork zombie for days now. She needed a break, and he was going to make her take one.

He sat up on the couch, turning to face the direction of her desk and leaning over the back.

"Maya…" He called in his best authoritative tone. He caught the corner of her mouth turn up in a small smile as she tried her best to ignore him. Not discouraged in the slightest, he called her name again.

"Hmm?" she replied, not looking up from her page.

"Time to stop working." Phoenix ordered.

"Five more minutes." She said, raising a hand in protest. "You know I've got that big meeting tomorrow in Kurain and this stuff needs to be done before then."

"Zero more minutes." Phoenix corrected her, picking up the remote and flicking on the TV. She had informed him earlier that there was a meeting to attend in Kurain the following day, dismissing it as 'stuffy masters' stuff' and promising him she would return as soon as it was done. Whatever this stuffy meeting was, surely it couldn't take precedence over the Steel Samurai.

"I don't think you want to miss this, Maya," said Phoenix. "They're showing a re-run tonight of the Steel Samurai New Years Special. It's got the fireworks and everything. Apparently, they aren't even cutting out the bit where the guy playing the Evil Magistrate got drunk and swore at the Pink Princess," he finished as he scanned the TV guide before turning back to her.

Maya laughed.

"That was so bad!" she remembered fondly. "The looks on their faces!" she added, shaking her head, before continuing with her writing. He continued to glare at her, thrumming his fingers against the back of the couch impatiently. Maya sighed in exasperation.

"I'll be there in a sec, Nick! Geez, keep your pants on."

"If I take them off, will it get you over here and away from that damn desk?" Phoenix asked in mock seriousness. Maya laughed again.

"It'll get me away from the desk and running out the door screaming." She responded.

Phoenix narrowed his eyes at his assistant.

"You liar. You know you can't resist my godly physique."

Maya raised an eyebrow at him, fighting the urge to laugh. Phoenix nodded and winked at her. His faux suggestive behaviour was almost ridiculous. She had noticed a lot lately how different he was around her, more relaxed. He wasn't afraid to make jokes at his own expense or make himself look silly in order to make her laugh. She liked that. As impressive as 'Serious Nick' was in the courtroom, she knew she liked 'Silly Nick' even better. Very few people ever saw this side of him and that made her feel special. Almost as if a portion of his personality existed only for her.

"You're so inappropriate, Nick." She said with a shake of her head.

Phoenix merely shrugged.

"You say tomayto, I say tomahto." He countered nonchalantly as he turned back around to face the TV, flopping back on the couch with a rather undignified thud. Seconds ticked by, and Phoenix frowned again. She still hadn't left that desk.

"Maya, c'mon!" he whined. He could hear her chuckling at his petulant tone.

"I'm coming!" she reassured him as she hurried to finish what she was writing.

"You're not." Phoenix said. "You haven't even left your desk. You're just trying to keep me quiet and it isn't going to work. I'm going to complain and complain until you get so annoyed you can't concentrate anymore."

"Believe me, I don't doubt that for a second." Maya scoffed.

"Well, I did learn from the best." Phoenix added.

"Hey! What do you mean by that?" Maya frowned. Phoenix congratulated himself with a mental victory dance. He knew that if he baited her enough she would get distracted from her work and try to argue with him. No matter how silly the argument was.

"All I'm saying is it takes a special kind of person to be able to work with you around." Phoenix explained, needling her further. "You're the queen of distraction. _Oh hey, Nick – let's look for evidence over here. Oh wow, look a burger stand. Let's eat! Hey! Boat rides! We should go on a boat, Nick. Whoa! That guy kinda looks like the guy who plays the Steel Samurai's evil twin. Let's follow him!_" he finished excitedly, mocking Maya's usual enthusiasm when they were on a case.

"Oh man!" Maya groaned, covering her face with her hands. "Is that really what I sound like? I _am_ annoying!" She continued to laugh behind her hands.

"Nah," Phoenix responded after a slight pause. "You're fun. _Larry_ is annoying."

"And I guess since you've practically put up with him your whole life, putting up with me would be a total breeze, right?" Maya surmised, happy with her logic.

"Right." Phoenix agreed. "So are you going to come watch this or do we have to do things the hard way?"

"The hard way?" Maya asked, putting her pen down and raising an eyebrow. Phoenix stood and turned to face her. He cracked his knuckles for effect.

"The hard way it is, then." He finished with a shrug. He grinned at her.

Maya froze.

"Nick, what are you-"

Before she could finish her sentence, Phoenix had scooped her up from her chair and thrown her over his shoulder.

"Agh! Put me down!" Maya cried, trying her best to sound threatening. She failed miserably as her laughter got the better of her.

"I believe we have already had a discussion about this, Maya," Phoenix stated calmly as she continued to try and squirm her way down. "I told you that if you were going to get all caught up in your work again, I was going to throw you over my shoulder and drag you off to do something fun. I'm simply keeping my word."

"Okay, okay!" Maya conceded. "But I'm kinda upside down here. And your hand is dangerously close to my butt, you perve."

Phoenix laughed.

"Give me a little credit Maya, I'm not some sort of lecherous fiend."

"I bet you say that to all your upside down assistants." Maya countered.

"Yes, because I've had so many of those." He replied with a grin, heading towards the television. Before she could complain or struggle any further, Phoenix deposited her neatly on the couch, where he had been lying before. She pulled herself up to a sitting position as he sat next to her, his eyes locked to the TV.

"That wasn't fair." She said grumpily, kicking her feet out and landing a foot square against his side.

"Ow!" he cried, catching her feet before she could kick him again. "Life's not fair. Deal with it."

The fact that she probably knew that better than most people wasn't lost on either of them, and a slight furrowing of her brow was all Phoenix needed to see to realise that he had said the wrong thing.

"_Well that was stupid, Wright."_ he mentally berated himself. But the fact that he still had a hold of Maya's feet provided him with a quick solution. With a smirk, he began tickling her feet. Whatever she had been thinking was quickly forgotten as she burst into laughter and struggled to get her feet away from him.

"Nick! Please! Stop it!" Maya cried, tears of laughter running down her face.

"Only if you admit I'm right and you've been working too hard." He said.

"Okay, okay! You're right. I'm working too hard. Let me go!" Maya bargained in between peals of laughter. Phoenix refused to relinquish his hold on her feet, re-evaluating his terms.

"You also have to say that I'm the most intelligent, charismatic and devilishly handsome man you've ever met."

"You want me to lie?" Maya said with a laugh.

"Oh, that's mean." Phoenix said in a low growl as he picked up the cushion to his left and hit Maya on the head with it. Since he had let go of her feet, Maya quickly took the opportunity to tuck them underneath herself so he couldn't reach them again. Pulling herself up to her knees, she leaned forward and grabbed the cushion before Phoenix could hit her with it again. She managed to get in a few good hits of her own with the fluffy weapon of doom before she lost her balance, lurching forward and crashing directly into Phoenix's side.

As if under some sort of automatic response, his arm was immediately around her waist to steady her. She was grateful for the assistance, not realising the intimacy of their position until she registered the fact a few moments later that he had yet to move at all. She swallowed hard.

Her eyes snapped quickly to his, just in time to see his shocked expression morph into something else entirely. Something she really didn't want to decipher. She felt heat spreading across her cheeks and the back of her neck. Her breathing was still laboured from her laughter and her heart rate showed no sign of slowing even though now, she was perfectly still.

Realising his hold on her waist was perhaps a little too tight; Phoenix let his grip loosen slightly. Maya fought back a shiver as she instantly became aware of his fingertips against her side. She waited for him to move, to shatter the moment they had somehow found themselves frozen in.

He didn't though. His gaze remained locked with hers as the seconds ticked by. The anticipation was excruciating as they both remained perfectly still, looking for the smallest motion from the other. Any movement that could possibly confirm that they were both feeling and thinking the exact same thing.

Maya's brain was going haywire. The little voice telling her to push him away, that this would only complicate everything and inevitably end in heartbreak was being thoroughly drowned out by the thunderous sound of her heartbeat in her ears.

His gaze flickered to her lips for a brief second, and she knew exactly what he was thinking.

"_Oh no. Please don't. Please don't do that, Nick,"_ the last rational part of Maya's brain reasoned. She knew that if he kissed her right here, right now, any remaining semblance of self control would just go hurtling out the window.

His expression shifted slightly, an almost invisible frown creasing his brow. Maya felt a small rush of relief. He knew exactly as she did that actually crossing that line would be something they would both end up regretting. She wasn't a child anymore. There were no more fairytales and daydreams of true love conquering all. Life was harsh and unforgiving, she'd experienced that on many an occasion. Their time was limited, and leaving him when the time came would be hard enough as it was. Allowing things between them to solidify even further would be, in the words of the prosecutor with the whip, "downright foolish". She seemed to lack the willpower to move at all, but prayed silently that he was stronger than she was.

It was only a few moments before Phoenix averted his gaze, blinking heavily. His fingertips slid away from her waist as he sat back on the couch with a soft sigh. He glanced over at Maya, who sank back against her heels, still watching him intently. Her over expressive eyes told him all too much of what she was thinking. Fear, hope, desire, confusion, sadness... all of them were etched across her doll-like features in an agonizing frown that just about broke his heart. He managed a small, somewhat sad smile. He hoped it said everything they couldn't seem to manage with words. He hoped that little smile told her how sorry he was, how he wished things were different and how most of all, he understood.

She returned the same broken smile. She got the message.

Reaching down into the plastic bag on the floor beside him, Phoenix produced a small package. He tore it open, offering its contents to his still silent assistant.

"Snackoo?"

Maya smiled, much wider this time. With a small nod, she took the packet from Phoenix and settled back on the couch next to him. She waited a few moments before resting her head against his shoulder. He offered no protest to the action so she curled herself up next to him, eyes glued to the TV screen. He threw an arm loosely around her shoulders, pulling her closer to him and giving her shoulder a quick squeeze before turning his own attention to the repeat of the Samurai celebration she had loved so much on its first airing. It had been freezing out, so they had opted to keep Pearl in out of the cold, spending the evening flicking channels and watching New Years Eve specials under a blanket until they had fallen asleep at around three in the morning. Maya had proclaimed it her "Best New Years Ever". Phoenix was just happy she was so easy to please.

"Nick?" Maya inquired quietly, interrupting his thoughts.

"Yeah?"

"I think out of all the holidays, I like New Years the best." she said, nodding to herself.

'Why's that?" Phoenix asked.

"Well," Maya began, still watching the screen. "New Years is a celebration for everyone. There's no religious significance, no historical meaning. It's just the New Year. Everyone is happy and thinking about hopes and dreams and new beginnings. Nothing is impossible when a new year is coming. It's a fresh start."

Phoenix nodded, taking in her explanation. He could really understand how hopes, dreams and new beginnings were appealing to Maya, especially considering her life had been pre-determined for her by other people practically from birth.

"I like that." He said. "I would have to agree with you. New Years is the best holiday."

Maya sat up, turning to face him with a smile.

"Plus, there's festivals, right? And carnival rides! And fireworks!" she exclaimed. "I love fireworks too!"

Phoenix chuckled at her enthusiasm.

"Nick, could we go and watch the fireworks next year?"

"You mean this year?"

"Whatever," Maya said, rolling her eyes. "You know what I mean."

"Sure." Phoenix replied.

Maya grinned and sat back down, once again engrossed in the antics of the Steel Samurai as worked to thwart the Evil Magistrate's plan to freeze time just before the clock struck midnight. With a wry grin, he swiftly pinched the bag of Snackoo's from Maya's grasp. Her predicted protest only made him smile further as he popped the small chocolate morsel in his mouth.

He would definitely take Maya to some sort of New Years Festival this year so she could enjoy the fireworks. Maybe they should make it a tradition. But with her role as Master of Kurain demanding so much of her time, who even knew what she would be doing when the New Year arrived. Phoenix vowed to himself that he would be there, no matter what happened.

He silently hoped that there were many more years of fireworks to come for himself and Maya, in both the figurative and literal sense.

* * *

Phoenix sat at his desk, shuffling through a pile of papers that Maya had left him before she departed for Kurain earlier that morning. He'd managed to make a few notes, but nothing worth jumping up and shouting "Eureka!" over. Not that anyone would do that anyway.

He was just about to start on the next file when the phone on his desk rang, startling him slightly.

"_A client?"_ was Phoenix's first thought as he cleared his throat and picked up the receiver.

"Hello, Wright & Co Law Offices. Phoenix Wright speaking."

"Mr Nick!" came the response of the small girl on the other end of the line.

"Oh hey Pearls, I thought you might have been a client." Phoenix said. "What's up?"

"Where are you, Mr Nick? Why aren't you here?" Pearl demanded.

Phoenix gulped. Why on earth was little Pearls so worked up?

"I'm at the office." Phoenix explained. "Maya left here a few hours ago. She should be there by now."

"Of course she's here, Mr Nick!" Pearl stated, as if that were the most obvious thing in the world. "But why aren't you? It's a very special day today. You should be here for your special someone!"

Phoenix frowned. Ignoring Pearl's assumptions of the relationship between Maya and himself he asked for further explanation from the pint sized medium.

"What do you mean? Maya said she had a meeting, then she's coming home. What's so special about that?"

He barely had time to notice that he had referred to his apartment as Maya's 'home' before Pearl interrupted his thought process.

"But today is Mystic Maya's birthday! She's being in-doctored as Master today!"

"You mean 'inducted'?" Phoenix asked.

"Yes!" Pearl cried. "Why aren't you here?"

"_Damn it."_ Phoenix swore to himself. _"Stuffy, boring meeting, huh Maya? We're going to have words when I get there."_

"I had no idea Pearls, but I'll be there as soon as I can. Stall Maya. Don't let the ceremony start without me." He instructed the little girl.

"Okay, Mr Nick, I'll try. But hurry!"

Phoenix hung up the phone and dialled the number of the first person he thought of with a really fast car. Thankfully, he picked up the phone after two rings.

"Edgeworth speaking."

Phoenix sighed with relief, thankful that he was not only in the country, but sitting in his office a mere ten minutes away.

"Edgeworth, it's Phoenix. I need a really huge favour."

* * *

**A/N: Edgey to the rescuuuuueeeeee!**


	25. Prosecutor To The Rescue

Edgeworth glanced down at his speedometer for what felt like the hundredth time. Despite the agitated nature of the defense attorney sitting in his passenger seat, there was no way he was going to risk getting a speeding ticket. He could only imagine the scandal it would cause if word got out that such a high ranking prosecutor was driving around with such a flagrant disregard for traffic law.

"Can't we go any faster?" Phoenix asked predictably.

"We are not having this conversation again, Wright. If I get pulled over for speeding we will never get there." Edgeworth replied.

"I'm sorry," Phoenix said, running his hand through his hair. "I'm being a pain, I know. But I really have to get there."

"Yes, you are being a pain." Edgeworth muttered as he manoeuvred the red sports car to overtake a slow moving truck ahead of them. He paused for a moment, before questioning Phoenix again.

"So let me get this straight. Maya's being inducted as Master of Kurain today, correct?"

"Right." Phoenix said with a nod.

"And it's also her birthday."

"Right."

"And despite your relationship with this girl, you had no prior knowledge of either event?"

Phoenix scowled. _"What am I on trial here?" _

"Give me a break, Edgeworth," he pouted. "There has been so much going on lately and Maya never even mentioned anything. And for the last time, there's no _relationship_. Maya and I are friends. That's all."

"You should realise, Wright, that the more vehemently you deny something the guiltier you look." Edgeworth responded, raising an eyebrow.

"You should realise that you need to stop prosecuting your friends or soon you won't have any." Phoenix countered. Edgeworth laughed softly under his breath.

"I could add something about denial and rivers in Egypt but I'm afraid that would be terribly tacky and clichéd." Edgeworth said lightly.

"Are you done?" Phoenix cried, causing Edgeworth to chuckle uncharacteristically. "Or are you going to torture me the whole way there?"

Edgeworth didn't respond, but the small smile remained on his lips as he watched the road ahead of him. Phoenix shuffled in his seat, huffing lightly. Silence enveloped the pair once more, but not for long.

"I can't believe you forgot her birthday," Edgeworth added daringly, his expression mocking.

"_Seriously_, Edgeworth. I'm _really_ starting to regret calling you..."

Edgeworth laughed as Phoenix crossed his arms angrily. This trip was turning out to be a lot more fun than he had anticipated.

* * *

A torturous twenty five minutes later, Edgeworth's car passed through Kurain Village's front gates. Bringing the vehicle to a stop, the pair climbed out and headed towards the main building.

"Remind me never to ask you for a favour again," Phoenix sulked. The last hour and a half trapped in a car with his prosecutor friend had done little to improve his mood. Not only was he annoyed and a little hurt that Maya had kept such significant events to herself, but he also felt like a jerk for forgetting her birthday. Edgeworth's jibes hadn't helped at all with either of those issues.

"I promised I would get you here on time, and we are here. Are we not?" Edgeworth inquired.

"That remains to be seen." Phoenix said. "For all we know the ceremony could be over already and I just spent nearly two hours of my life that I'll never get back trapped in a car with you."

"Some gratitude." Edgeworth noted.

Phoenix shook his head and craned his neck searching for someone who might be able to tell them what was going on and where.

He noticed a woman heading towards them, but recoiled when he realised it was none other than Althea Fey. She had been pleasant to him when he had picked up Pearl for their trip to Gatewater Land last week, but which personality of Althea Fey was heading to greet them today was anyone's guess.

"Great." Phoenix muttered as the council elder drew closer. Edgeworth raised an eyebrow, prompting Phoenix to elaborate further. "It's Althea Fey. She's the one that's been causing all of this trouble for Maya."

Edgeworth nodded in understanding as Phoenix steeled his expression. If she even tried to make him leave he would be giving her a piece of his mind.

"Mr Wright," Althea greeted him cheerfully. "I'm so glad you could make it. I was concerned when Mystic Maya arrived alone today. I was sure you would be accompanying her."

Phoenix gulped. What on earth was going on? Althea was practically the perfect picture of a sweet old woman and the stinging barbs he had lined up for her were definitely not called for in this instance. He was truly at a loss for words.

Without waiting for the flabbergasted lawyer to respond, Althea gave Phoenix one last smile before turning her attention to Edgeworth, offering her hand.

"You must be another of Mystic Maya's friends. Althea Fey, Kurain Council Elder," she said courteously. Edgeworth shook her hand lightly.

"Miles Edgeworth," he said stoically.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr Edgeworth. If you two would like to follow me, there are other guests waiting for the ceremony to begin in the reception hall. The wind out here has a terrible chill to it. It would be far more comfortable to wait indoors." Althea instructed, before leading the two men towards what they could only assume was the reception hall. Phoenix wondered if the old bat had rigged the place with explosives or something crazy like that.

As they entered the room, Phoenix quickly scanned the guests and dignitaries that had gathered and was relieved to find no trace of Andre Fey. As if reading his thoughts, Althea turned to speak to Phoenix.

"Andre is not with us today, Mr Wright," she said, surprising him. "I know he is of some concern to you and the council shares your concern. The wellbeing of our Master is our first priority and your claims of him having a connection with Morgan Fey are currently being thoroughly investigated."

Phoenix stared at the woman, trying his hardest to mask his disbelief as she continued.

"We can't have anyone within the village that harbor's ill will towards Mystic Maya. Andre has returned to boarding school where he can be properly supervised until we can get all of this sorted."

She placed a hand on Phoenix's arm, her expression softening.

"I do hope your assumptions are incorrect, but the council realises we must do what is best for Mystic Maya right now."

Phoenix nodded slowly, not quite sure what to say. He didn't believe a word of the elder woman's diatribe, figuring that Andre would still definitely be around somewhere, but causing a scene here about it wouldn't be of use to anyone. Especially Maya.

"I am glad you are taking Maya's safety into account," he said sternly. Phoenix needed Althea to think that he believed her current facade. Feigned compliance would buy him more time to find out what was really going on.

Althea nodded curtly, before turning to leave the two men.

"Please, help yourself to refreshments," she said politely. "The ceremony is due to begin in twenty minutes."

With that she left the pair, heading off to finalise preparations. Phoenix waited until she was out of earshot before speaking to Edgeworth.

"I'm guessing this is the part where you tell me I'm insane and that there's no way that sweet old lady has any sort of sinister plans whatsoever, right?" he said glumly.

"No..." Edgeworth considered carefully as he scanned the room. "That woman is hiding something. Her demeanour just now was extremely forced."

Phoenix exhaled audibly.

"Thank goodness," he sighed. "Because there is some serious trouble going on right now and I'm going to need all the help I can get if I'm going to get to the bottom of it."

Edgeworth scoffed lightly.

"I'm a little surprised, Wright. Perhaps even a little insulted."

"What? Why?" Phoenix asked, confused.

"Reading people and seeing through false personalities is a very big part of what both you and I do every day." Edgeworth explained. Unable to resist another chance to take a shot at his friend, he added "Well, at least it's what I do every day. How many cases have you had since Hazakurain?"

Phoenix rolled his eyes. When exactly had Edgeworth developed a sense of humour?

"Very funny."

"I thought so." Edgeworth quipped.

Ignoring his friends new found preoccupation with making jokes at his expense, Phoenix continued to explain his unease at Althea's unbelievable change of heart.

"Not only is it completely insane that she's being so nice to me, this whole Andre thing is leaving a bad taste in my mouth." He began, frowning. "You should have seen the way she treated Maya at the last council meeting. And I thought she was going to kill me when I mentioned Andre and Morgan Fey in the same sentence."

Phoenix shook his head as he tried to make sense of it all.

"She even mentioned Maya's father. I think she might know how he died. I'm worried that she even might have had something to do with it."

"I'm still trying to find out as much as I can about Sebastian Parker." Edgeworth assured him. "It's been quite difficult, but I have a few contacts that could prove worthwhile. I'm going through my father's records too, but I doubt they'll hold any worthy information."

Phoenix nodded in thanks.

"Who'd have thought that my father's old friend and colleague would end up being your Maya's father." Edgeworth said, shaking his head lightly, still surprised at the information Phoenix had supplied him with earlier. "There really are no coincidences, are there?"

"Not in the Fey family, no." Phoenix said seriously. Edgeworth sighed, laughing quietly to himself.

"I hope you know what you're getting yourself into, Wright," he teased. "I'd assume the Fey's aren't the most ideal family to marry into."

Phoenix glared at him. This was really getting old, although Edgeworth didn't seem to think so.

He opened his mouth to give Edgeworth a piece of his mind, but was interrupted by the sounds of the large wooden doors to the main hall opening. People around him began to move. It appeared that the ceremony was about to begin. Relieved at the prospect of seeing Maya again, Phoenix forgot all about his annoyance with Edgeworth and turned to move towards the doors.

"Are you coming?" Phoenix inquired when Edgeworth didn't move.

Edgeworth shook his head as he flipped through contacts on his cell.

"Do not worry, Wright. I will still be here to drive you and Miss Fey back to the city when the ceremony is over with."

"That's not what I was concerned about, but thanks nonetheless." Phoenix said. "Don't you want to see the ceremony, though?"

"I think I've seen enough formal receptions in my time." Edgeworth explained. "Besides, If I can find somewhere around here with any form of cell phone reception, I'm going to need to make a few calls. It is Maya's birthday after all, and quite the prodigious occasion. It would be only fitting to throw her a party. Perhaps we could even keep it a surprise."

Phoenix beamed. Edgeworth certainly had his moments.

"You're a pal, Edgeworth." Phoenix said with a grin.

"Yes. I suppose I am." Edgeworth said coolly. "Don't go spreading it around."

Phoenix laughed as he turned to head in the main hall, leaving Edgeworth to make his phone calls. He hoped today would end up being a memorable day for Maya, but this time for the right reasons.

* * *

Maya stared at her reflection and sighed. She almost didn't recognise the woman in the beautiful purple kimono staring back at her.

Grown up. Sophisticated. Kurain's Master. She felt like a fraud.

"_What a joke,"_ she thought dismally to herself.

She'd been training her whole life for this day and now that it was here she wanted nothing more than to wish it away entirely. She wasn't ready. There was still so much to do, so much to see and learn. The thought that she would give it all up in a second to simply be Phoenix's assistant flashed through her mind.

"_Some ambition, Maya,"_ she mused.

As great as it sounded in theory to forget about Kurain and go back to the city with Phoenix, Maya knew that Kurain was in desperate need of someone who would bring the village up to more contemporary standards. She knew she had the brains to do it, but did she have the backbone?

Giving up was not an option. Pearl was next in line and there was no way that Maya was going to hand down anything less than a perfectly functioning village to her young cousin when the time came. If the time came at all. Eventually the elders would expect her to marry and bear children, hopefully providing a female heir for her position, in which case Pearl would no longer be in line for the title at all.

Maya screwed up her nose as she thought of the kind of man the elders would push her to marry. It would likely be some sort of boring politician or diplomat. Definitely someone who in marrying the master, would tie Kurain to outside power. She hoped it was some time before she would have to deal with that, but now that she had turned twenty she knew it wouldn't be long before the council started pushing the issue.

Her mother had been lucky. She had married her love and escaped the incredibly outdated prospect of an arranged marriage. Although coming back to Kurain pregnant would have been a difficult time for her mother the following years of happiness with her father before his untimely death would have been more than worth any shame the council insisted she bear. Maya wondered how the council would have reacted if she had returned to Kurain in a similar 'predicament' to her mother. She blushed furiously at the thought.

Her father had chosen to leave everything to be with her mother and although she didn't doubt in the slightest that Phoenix had the same loyal nature, she would never allow him to give up being a lawyer just to be with her. As much as it hurt, this is where her similarities with her mother would have to end. They both might have fallen for lawyers, but she would not get to keep hers as her mother did, even if it was only for a short time.

Maya's cell phone beeped loudly in the pocket of her kimono. Pulling it out, she saw that she had received a text from Phoenix.

"His ears must have been burning," she thought to herself with a smile. She opened the text and read it to herself.

"_Stuffy meeting, hey Maya? You've got some explaining to do… birthday girl." _

Uh oh.

Busted.

Maya felt bad about deliberately misleading Phoenix about the reason for today's "meeting" and the significance of the day but she had her reasons. Kurain and her duty were a sore point at the moment and she knew that if Phoenix had any idea that she was approaching her official induction that he would worry and want her to talk about it, but she really didn't want to. Talking about it would just highlight her doubts and it was hard enough to prepare herself for the responsibility as things were. If he made her really sit down and think about what she was accepting and what it meant she would eventually have to give up she might have broken down and given up completely. She was hoping she could just sneak through the process without him having to find out. At least not for a while, anyway. There were also things during the ceremony that she would be asked to agree to that she knew Phoenix would at least find questionable.

His text seemed light-hearted and Maya was relieved that he didn't appear to be mad at her, but she knew at the very least he would be hurt. She sighed. She really didn't think this through properly. This was a very important day, and Phoenix could very well take it personally that she chose to keep it from him. He might even think that she didn't think he was important enough to be there. That couldn't be further from the truth.

"Damn it." Maya said out loud, covering her face with her hands. She wasn't even officially inducted yet and she was already making poor decisions. Kurain was doomed.

"Mystic Maya," the young woman's voice interrupted her self loathing. "They have requested your presence. We are ready to begin."

"Thank you, Mystic Jess." Maya said politely as she moved to follow the girl. She brought her fingers to her neck, delicately touching the place where her magatama should have been. Her old necklace would be replaced today with the master's magatama & talisman. It would be a constant visual reminder of her position. There was no turning back now.

With a deep breath she headed into the hall to begin the next chapter of her life.

* * *

Phoenix shuffled in his seat, switching his cell to silent before slipping it into his pocket. Even with the limited reception he had managed to get a message through to Maya letting her know that he knew it wasn't just some regular meeting today. He'd failed to inform her though that he was here in Kurain for the ceremony. He figured she would find out soon enough.

A small murmuring from the crowd caught Phoenix's attention and he watched as the council members filed into the hall and took their seats at the head of the hall. A few moments later Maya entered behind them. He smiled. She looked nervous, but beautiful.

She glanced briefly in his direction but didn't seem to notice him. About half a second later she did a double take, smiling widely when she spotted him in the second row. He smiled back. He saw relief wash over her face as she turned her back to him to face the elders, sneaking one last glance at him before lifting her chin and focusing her attention on the women in front of her.

Phoenix watched her as the ceremony began and the council elders began speaking of traditions and the history of the position. Maya nodded courteously as required, respectfully listening to the women speak of the ideals she would be meant to uphold. He felt a small pang of worry at the amount of responsibility that she would be taking on, but at the same time he was proud that she was facing it with her head held high. She had worked so hard for this. Perhaps a little too hard at times, but she had done it all for the good of her people. Maya was strong and capable, and Kurain would no doubt flourish under her leadership.

She looked stunning in her masters robes, which he noted had been cleaned since she last wore them. That was the night he had kissed her, the night he had overheard her tell Mia that she loved him. He respected Maya's wishes that they simply remain friends. She really did believe that it was for the best, but if last night on the couch was any indication, their feelings for one another would be difficult to keep under control. He almost wished he hadn't kissed her on the Winding Way. The desire to do so again was becoming overwhelming.

The ceremony wore on, and Phoenix found his mind drifting. He was at least glad for the view of the beautiful woman in purple to keep him at least partailly occupied. He stifled a yawn. Althea would no doubt think he was terribly rude for yawning during such an important ceremony. The address was soon over, and Maya was now required to speak.

He watched her kneel on the floor before the elders, frowning at the fact she was being placed in such a submissive position. His concern only deepened when they began instructing her to repeat vows of sorts, detailing her obligation to the village and how she would always put the village and its interests ahead of anything else.

"_This isn't right…"_ Phoenix thought to himself. _"They're basically making her vow to be a slave of the village."_ He would have to discuss this with her later. He wondered if she had known about this part of the ceremony.

Finally, Maya was allowed to stand again, and two young acolytes approached her with an elaborate new magatama necklace. They fastened it around Maya's neck, bowing slightly before backing away. Maya bowed her head in return at the girls and again at the elders.

Althea then decreed Mystic Maya the new Master of the Kurain technique, and with that the formalities were done. Maya was ushered out of the hall by the acolytes that has presented her with her magatama and the elder council soon followed.

Phoenix followed the rest of the guests outside, finding Edgeworth in the reception hall.

"How did everything go?" Edgeworth asked as Phoenix came to a halt next to him, a frown creasing his brow.

"Good, I guess." Phoenix responded cryptically. "I can't say that _I_ agree with a lot of the things they made her agree to, but I have to trust she knows what she is doing."

"Very true." Edgeworth nodded.

"So did you get a chance to arrange anything?" Phoenix asked, alluding the Maya's birthday celebrations.

"It's all covered." Edgeworth assured him. "I've contacted a caterer and as many of Maya's friends and acquaintances that I could reach. All we will need to do is get her to my apartment. Considering I am driving you two home, that should be relatively simple."

Phoenix grinned.

"I really appreciate this."

Edgeworth made a dismissive notion with his hand. Glancing over Phoenix's shoulder, he spotted Maya heading towards them. Phoenix turned to see what he was looking at, smiling when he saw his assistant, the now official Master of Kurain.

"I understand congratulations are in order, Miss Fey," Edgeworth stated politely.

"Thanks, Edgeworth!" Maya said happily, glancing at Phoenix.

"I'm sorry to disappear, but I have to make a few phone calls," Edgeworth said apologetically as he made a quick, but totally transparent exit. Phoenix couldn't help but note how terribly obvious it was of him to leave them alone like that, but Maya didn't seem to notice. After a quick instruction to meet him at the car, Edgeworth was gone.

"So…" Maya said, eyeing Phoenix sheepishly.

"So." Phoenix said as he crossed his arms.

"I guess I owe you an apology." Maya said softly.

Phoenix sighed softly. He didn't understand the reasons why Maya had opted to exclude him from today, but now wasn't the time to press her on them. It was her birthday.

"Maybe later," he said with a warm smile. "Today is your birthday. Let's just forget about all our troubles for now. We don't have to discuss this now."

Maya smiled broadly, throwing her arms around Phoenix's neck and crushing him in a strong hug.

"Thank you," she whispered. "I'm so glad you came." She added, breaking the hug and taking a step backwards. All eyes in the room seemed to be on her, and such a display of affection for the lawyer would no doubt have the Kurain gossip mills running non stop for the next month.

"Well you can thank Pearls for dobbing you in," Phoenix said. "She called me in a panic this morning asking why I wasn't here. When she told me what was going on, I called Edgeworth and he drove me here. I didn't want to miss this."

Maya smiled at him. She knew he had every right to be mad at her, but here he was, smiling at her. He was so happy to share this special day with her. She vowed never to exclude him from anything again.

"Do you have to stay here?" he asked her, looking at the guests still gathered around the room.

"Nope." She said with a grin. "I'm free to go."

"Good." Phoenix smiled. "I think I need to take you out for some birthday burgers. That is, if burgers are sophisticated enough for the Master of the Kurain technique…"

He wasn't really planning on taking her out for burgers, but he figured she would forgive him for his small lie when she found out what was really happening.

"Oh Nick, don't be ridiculous. I may be the Master, but I'm still the same Maya I was yesterday." Maya said with a chuckle.

"Good to hear,"

"Should I change?" Maya asked, looking down questioningly at her elaborate masters robes.

_"Never."_ Phoenix thought to himself before realising she was talking about her clothes.

"No, you look beautiful, " he responded earnestly. Maya blushed. Phoenix smiled at the pink tinge on her cheeks. "Well, find Pearls and let's blow this pop stand, Master Maya."

"You don't need to call me that," Maya said with a laugh.

"Are you crazy? I'm going to call you that for the rest of the day!" Phoenix cried, offering her his arm.

"Please don't." Maya laughed as he hooked her arm through his. The two of them exited the hall, heading off to find Pearl.

Maya smiled as the warm sun splashed her face. So far, this was the best birthday she could remember.


	26. Presents and the Past

**A/N: This is my longest chapter yet. There's a lot of back and forth dialogue and inner reflection (as has been the case with my more recent chapters) so I hope you aren't finding the pace too slow. I went back and re-edited my first and second chapters so they would work with the length of story a little better. My writing has changed a lot since those first chapters in 2009 and I hope my story doesn't end up too disjointed because of it. I may have to go back after it's done and do a grand re-write so I can be happy with it.**

**This chapter is a tad sappy and very relationship oriented, with the majority of it being dialogue between Phoenix and Maya. My apologies in advance.**

**At this stage there are still 14 chapters to go, but at least we're well past the halfway mark now!**

**

* * *

**

Maya couldn't help but grin as Edgeworth's car sped back towards the city. Phoenix had taken the seat next to her in the back, much to her young cousin's delight. Not only did Pearl take the opportunity to proclaim all sorts of romantic notions at Phoenix's choice of seating, but she was also thrilled at getting to ride up front in the shiny red sports car. Maya wasn't too sure how Edgeworth felt about the arrangement, as the poor man was left playing babysitter of sorts. Pearl had a seemingly endless barrage of questions about everything from what made the car go fast all the way to the classic 'are we there yet'.

She glanced sideways at Phoenix, finding him leaning back in his seat with his eyes closed. His fingers were laced loosely behind his head and a small smile graced his lips. Maya found herself unable to look away from the handsome lawyer, his serene visage leaving her stomach in knots. She had always found Phoenix attractive, but lately it was harder to ignore than usual.

It wasn't long before Phoenix seemed to sense that he was being watched. He lazily opened one eye, barely containing his grin when he caught Maya watching him. She blushed and averted her eyes quickly, the innocent action causing Phoenix to chuckle. Here was the almighty Master of the Kurain technique, behaving like a fifteen year old with a crush. He found it cute that despite having made his feelings for her quite clear, Maya still felt compelled to sneak glances at him when she thought he wasn't looking. As far as he was concerned, Maya could look at him _whenever_ and _however_ she wanted. The constant denial of his feelings for her was getting tired and no one believed him anyway. He wondered idly how the other occupants of the car would react if he grabbed Maya right now and kissed her. Pearl would probably explode from delight, causing Edgeworth to veer clean off the road.

"_Maybe not the best plan,"_ he thought to himself. The possibility of causing a car accident on Maya's birthday didn't sound like the most rewarding idea. He might get the kiss, but if Edgeworth crashed his car, they likely wouldn't make it to her party. Plus, someone could get seriously hurt.

He blanched inwardly, laughing at himself. How exactly did his brain make the leap from schoolgirl crushes to car crashes?

"_This whole 'let's just be friends' arrangement must be really messing with my sanity,"_ he thought, still somewhat amused. "_Either that or I've been hanging out with Maya too much. I might have started to absorb some of the crazy."_

Phoenix's laughter caught Maya's attention. She looked up at him again, her embarrassment quickly forgotten and replaced with curiosity over what could possibly be making him laugh. Was he laughing at her? Once her eyes locked with his she couldn't help but share his infectious smile. His dark eyes twinkled mischievously as he tried to hold back his laughter. Maya soon found herself giggling as well.

Edgeworth glanced in the rear-view mirror, somehow not surprised to find Phoenix and Maya making eyes at one another and giggling stupidly. Did they honestly think that nobody else could see the way they behaved around one another? Their relationship had to be the worst kept secret in history. Even Detective Gumshoe seemed to have an inkling that something romantic existed between the attorney and his assistant and he wasn't exactly world renowned for being quick on the uptake.

As far as he was aware, Maya's party preparations were all going according to plan. He had placed Franziska in charge of getting a hold of those he hadn't been able to and letting the caterers into his apartment. She hadn't phoned him back so he could only assume there were no problems. Franziska was capable and organised. He had absolutely no qualms about leaving the important tasks in her hands. By now the guests should probably be arriving. With one last glance at Phoenix and Maya, Edgeworth turned his attention back to the road.

He had to admit, he was also somewhat thankful that Maya's little cousin was too busy chattering about some sort of children's theatre or art gallery or... whatever she was talking about to hear the immature goings on from the back seat. Pearl had enough questions without adding the potential awkwardness of the nine year olds viewpoint on romance to the equation. He was of the firm belief that a personal life was called so for a reason and Pearl was definitely the kind of girl that would bombard him with questions he wasn't comfortable answering. It was a good thing she was too small to be able to see the rear-view mirror. In fact she could barely see over the dash.

"And so that's when I realised that Janey's puppy had been under the bed all along." Pearl explained. "It was a very good story. I think it's one of my favourite episodes. You would have worked out where the puppy was right away though, Mr Edgeworth. You're a smart lawyer. It took me a little longer because I'm just a kid, but I know you would have worked it out easily."

She paused for a moment, frowning slightly.

"But what I can't work out, is where they could have left the ball. What do you think, Mr Edgeworth?" Pearl asked, obviously under the impression that he had been listening intently to her retelling of last week's episode of Kids Masterpiece Theater.

She stared up at him, clearly awaiting a response. Edgeworth realised with some discomfort that he had absolutely no idea what she was talking about, nor had he any idea of how to answer her question. Those big brown eyes of hers were somehow even more intimidating than Franziska's whip.

"Well," Edgeworth bluffed. "If you cannot find the answers you seek, perhaps further investigation is required."

Pearl considered his response for a moment before smiling and nodding her acceptance.

"You're right Mr Edgeworth," Pearl chirped happily. "I'm going to go home, watch it again and really investigate properly. Just like you and Mr Nick do!"

Edgeworth felt himself relax slightly as the sign signalling the city limits came into view. He really wasn't good with children.

* * *

"Almost home!" Maya breathed happily as they drove down familiar streets.

"I hope you'll forgive me, Miss Fey, but I'm afraid I need to stop off briefly at my apartment to pick up a file. I plan on heading back to the office after I drop the three of you off." Edgeworth explained. "It will only take a moment."

It took every ounce of Phoenix's self control to stop himself from giggling like a mad man.

"Oh, that's fine, Mr Edgeworth." Maya exclaimed. "I don't mind at all."

Edgeworth signalled left and pulled the car into the underground parking lot of a very impressive looking apartment building.

"Wow..." Maya said in awe. "You live here?"

"At the very top," Edgeworth stated factually. "You are most welcome to come up and take a look at the view if you like."

Maya's face lit up like a Christmas tree.

"Oh Nick, can we? I've never seen the city from up that high!" Maya pleaded.

"Sure." Phoenix agreed, shooting Edgeworth a look over her shoulder as they exited the car. His calm expression betrayed nothing. He was too good at this. Phoenix watched as his friend pulled out his cell and sent a quick text. It was no doubt to Franziska to let her know they had arrived.

"_Edgeworth..."_ Phoenix thought with a scarcely concealed grin,_ "...you sly dog, you."_

As they stepped into the elevator, Phoenix could barely contain his excitement. Everything was going perfectly. Maya was going to love this.

Edgeworth slipped his security card in the slot and pressed the buttons for the 28th floor prompting the elevator to begin its ascent. After what felt like an eternity (to Phoenix anyway), the elevator rumbled to a stop, opening its doors to reveal a darkened apartment. Edgeworth stepped out ahead of them, flipping on the lights as they were met with a deafening chorus of "SURPRISE!"

Maya squealed, bringing her hand to her mouth in shock, before breaking out into a huge grin. She scanned the festively decorated apartment, hardly able to believe that all of this was for her. Friends she hadn't seen in years waited to greet her, extending birthday wishes and congratulations. To the side of the room, a large buffet table was overflowing with delicious looking food and drinks. She couldn't ever remember feeling this happy. Pearl tugged on her robes, her eyes as wide as her smile. She would have never seen anything like this before.

"Thank you!" she cried, turning to Phoenix.

He held his hands up in protest.

"I'm afraid I can't take credit for this one, Maya." He admitted.

She frowned for a moment, before realising exactly who must have organised the party for her.

"Thank you so much, Mr Edgeworth!" Maya exclaimed, enveloping the man in a crushing hug. Not sure how to react, he patted her awkwardly on the back. Phoenix couldn't help but laugh as he watched the clumsy exchange.

Somehow freeing himself from Maya's grip, Edgeworth brushed his suit jacket smooth of wrinkles before speaking again.

"It was my pleasure, Miss Fey."

"Please," Maya said with a grin. "Call me Maya."

"Very well, Maya," Edgeworth returned. "But you must call me Miles."

Phoenix shot Maya a pointed look, causing her to giggle. Edgeworth caught it, raising an eyebrow at Phoenix.

"You should go and greet your guests, Maya." Phoenix instructed. She nodded, bounding off towards the throng of people waiting for her in Edgeworth's living room. Before long, hugs and animated conversations were being traded as Maya headed around the room, thanking everyone individually for sharing the day with her.

Phoenix nodded at Edgeworth as he moved past his friend to join Maya.

"I owe you," he said thankfully.

"Let's not forget that," Edgeworth quipped with a note of sarcasm.

* * *

Maya stepped out on to the balcony, letting the night air cool her flushed cheeks. She had just put an exhausted Pearl to sleep in one of Edgeworth's guest bedrooms and inside the party was still in full swing. Will Powers and Larry Butz were engaged in a serious discussion about the finer points of playing the Steel Samurai, while Lotta Hart flitted about taking photos which she claimed to be uploading directly to the internet. This of course angered Franziska, who did not want to be seen in any photos with the 'Scruffy Detective'. Maggey was trying her best to console the wounded Gumshoe, while Edgeworth had spent most of the evening discouraging his seventeen year old assistant Kay from drinking any alcohol. Judging from her inebriated state, he hadn't been too successful.

Maya couldn't believe the eclectic mix of friends from the past who had showed up this evening. Adrian Andrews sat casually chatting with Franziska while Max Galactica and Regina Berry entertained the partygoers with magic tricks. Even Penny Nichols and Ron and Dessie Delite had shown up for the party.

Phoenix had introduced Maya to a young woman named Ema Skye, who had worked on a case with him a few years back while she was in Kurain. Maya had felt an instant kinship with the girl who was loads of fun, although her infatuation with Edgeworth was a little disturbing. She hadn't seen Phoenix since then and that had been well over an hour ago. She frowned, wondering where he had gone. She slipped her cell phone out of her pocket and began searching through her contacts for his name.

"There you are..."

The familiar voice from behind Maya interrupted her thoughts and she turned to find Phoenix closing the balcony door softly behind him. With a smile, she slipped her phone back in her pocket, once again turning her attention to the view. She leaned against the railing with a sigh. The city actually seemed peaceful from this high up.

"I was looking all over for you," Phoenix said, leaning against the railing next to her.

"I could say the same to you," she responded dryly.

She sloshed the remainder of her drink around in her glass, clinking the ice cubes together before downing what was left.

"Whoa, easy there tiger," Phoenix said raising an eyebrow. "I'm not carrying you home."

"Relax, Nick." Maya groaned, placing the glass down on the small table beside her. "It's just punch."

"And don't lie, you would totally carry me home." she smiled after a small pause.

"You're right, I would." Phoenix admitted. "About that punch though, I should warn you that Larry's never met a punch bowl he didn't spike..."

Maya laughed. She probably should have expected as much.

"Well that would explain why I'm slightly light-headed," she concluded. "Thank goodness we didn't let Pearly have any."

"Oh, Larry." Phoenix said, his voice tinged with something that wasn't quite disbelief. He knew the man too well to be surprised by the things that Larry considered good ideas.

"So where have you been?" Maya asked. "You've been MIA for about an hour. I thought you'd found a better party to crash."

"Not likely," Phoenix assured her. "I had to duck out for something."

"For that?" Maya said with a smirk, motioning to the wrapped box he had placed on the patio table.

"Possibly," he teased.

"Is it for me?"

"Could be."

Maya smiled. She didn't see anyone else here having a birthday. So Phoenix had actually left her party in order to get her a gift. She was touched, but she felt bad at his obvious guilt for having not remembered the date.

"I hope you don't feel bad about forgetting my birthday." Maya said gently. "You didn't have to leave to get me something. You've done so much already..."

"Well if _someone_ had reminded me I might have been a little better prepared." Phoenix countered. His tone was light and his smile evident in his voice, but his words cut Maya deeper than intended. She sighed heavily.

"I'm sorry, Nick. I just, I don't know. Bad decision, I guess."

"Maya…" he began, "I didn't mean…" He frowned in concern.

"No, it's fine," she said cutting him off. "I do owe you an apology."

"I thought we decided we weren't going to talk about this today." Phoenix reminded her.

Maya turned to face him, smiling sadly. She appreciated his constant efforts to protect her, but there would come a time when she would have to do things on her own. As much as he would claim otherwise, Phoenix wasn't always going to be by her side.

"We never talk about anything, Nick," she reasoned.

"Nonsense," Phoenix said, still trying to lift the mood. "We talk every day! What do you call this?"

"You know what I mean." Maya stated stoically, turning back to her view of the city.

He knew exactly what she meant. From the time they had met the two of them seemed to have skipped over the more emotional conversations. They'd been through so much together, but Phoenix could barely recall properly talking about any of it. Mia's death, Maya's kidnapping and her mother's murder were but a few examples. A quick change of topic and a lame joke always seemed to be the easier option. Maya never seemed willing to talk about what was bothering her or what she was feeling. She had a definite tendency to bottle things up, preferring to shoulder her burdens on her own. Growing up alone probably had a lot to do with that, but she needed to realise that she wasn't alone anymore. He knew he wasn't much better either, suddenly feeling quite cowardly for often taking the easier road of keeping things light.

"Maybe we have gotten into a routine of avoiding important conversations," Phoenix admitted.

Maya lifted her chin, eyeing him seriously.

"Well maybe we should try and stop doing that," she suggested. "Tell me exactly what's on your mind."

He toyed briefly with the idea of saying something suggestive to make her laugh and avoid the real issue, but she had made a point of asking for his honesty. He owed it to her. If she really wanted to have this conversation now then they would have it now. He took a deep breath, steeling his expression before speaking.

"Why didn't you want me there today?"

Maya felt her shoulders slump. The slight sense of bravado provided to her by Larry's alcohol infused punch seemed to abandon her the instant she registered the underlying hurt in Phoenix's voice. She thought for a long time, trying to carefully word her answer. Thinking she was not going to respond, Phoenix began to elaborate.

"I know I'm not from Kurain and that they all see me as an outsider, believe me, I know. But I thought you would be the one that didn't care about all their rules. You'd be the one to say 'To hell with you all, I want Nick here with me,' or something like that. When I found out you didn't, well... It just made me feel far away from you. I don't like feeling like you're constantly letting me go, Maya. It doesn't have to be that way."

Actually hearing him explain how he felt made Maya feel a thousand times worse, but she had asked for this. It was time to be a grown up and deal with the consequences of her decisions.

"It was an important day for you and therefore it's important to me," Phoenix continued resolutely. "I wanted to be there with you. I don't care whether they like me or not, I'm a part of your life and I'm not going away. I know we always steer clear of conversations about us, but Maya, I-"

"It's hard," she said, interrupting him. He smiled pathetically.

"I know," he replied softly as he placed his arm around her shoulders. "But as long as we keep trying to talk about this stuff and work through it, we'll only get better at it."

She nodded in agreement before resting her head against his shoulder, sighing peacefully. He stroked her back reassuringly, turning slightly to place a soft kiss atop her head.

"One thing I can tell you is that I'll always be here. I said that to you before and I meant it," he murmured softly into her hair. "I'll always come find you, Maya. Always."

Maya felt her heart constrict, at that moment overwhelmed by emotions she had been trying to stop herself from feeling. It was no use. She was head over heels in love.

"We are hopeless, aren't we?" she finally managed, eliciting a soft chuckle from Phoenix.

"Yep." was his simple reply. Maya pondered the reality of their friendship, knowing the answer to her next question before it even left her lips.

"This _just friends_ thing isn't going to work, is it?"

Phoenix knew the question was borderline rhetorical, but answered her anyway.

"Nope."

Maya let out a small groan that ended in a laugh. Somehow it felt like the most poignant way to express herself over their situation. She knew she loved him and was pretty sure he loved her. There had to be a way to make it work.

"You should open your gift." Phoenix said, moving away from her to grab the present from the table. He returned quickly, handing her the clumsily wrapped box. She couldn't help but smile.

"You wrapped this?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. He looked at her sheepishly, raising a hand to the back of his head in something akin to embarrassment.

"I... uh... I'm not so good at the whole wrapping thing," Phoenix admitted.

"It's what's inside that counts," she reassured him, carefully tearing open the paper. Her breath caught in her throat when she uncovered a beautiful, intricately decorated silver jewellery box. She looked up at him in surprise, then back down to the box in her hands, turning it slowly to better view the ornate design.

"Nick..." she breathed. "It's..."

"Go ahead," he urged, grinning at her reaction. "Open it."

Carefully, she lifted the lid on the box. The tinkling sounds of a beautiful lullaby soon reached her ears as she inspected the rest of her gift. The inside was lined with plush navy velvet, but most stunning of all were the small figures of a man and woman dancing together, spinning slowly with the lilting tune. The woman's hair was long and black like her own, and her dress glittered with hundreds of tiny rhinestones, catching the light as she spun with her beau.

Maya struggled for the right words but found herself coming up blank. This was the most gorgeous thing she had ever seen. Where had he found this? She had never seen anything so expertly crafted.

Phoenix smiled broadly, realising Maya was nothing short of enthralled with the music box.

"I knew you'd like it," he beamed.

"I love it," she corrected him. "It's so beautiful. How did you find something like this on such short notice?"

"Well," he explained. "I've actually had it a very long time. I've been waiting for the right time to give it to you."

"Really?" Maya asked, surprised.

Phoenix nodded.

"My father had it made for my mother as a gift on their wedding day. That's meant to be them," he said, pointing to the dancing pair. "This is one of the few things of theirs that my Grandma made sure was kept for me."

Maya watched Phoenix compassionately. This was the first time he had ever made mention of his parents. Clearly, he had inherited a romantic streak from his father.

"Grandma would always say that one day, I would give it to the right girl. A girl who would cherish it, just as my mother had." Phoenix added, a light tinge of pink on his cheeks.

"I will." Maya promised, feeling tears stinging the corners of her eyes. "Always."

Maya placed the music box on the table, almost afraid to let it out of her sight. The sentimental value that it held for Phoenix made the gift even more special. She was incredibly moved that she was the girl he had chose to give it to, especially knowing how infatuated he had been with Dahlia. Perhaps some tiny part of him knew back then that she wasn't the one for him.

She moved back towards him, slotting herself in under his arm where she had stood before. He rested his hand back on her shoulder.

"I don't think you've ever told me about your parents before," she said softly. She felt Phoenix shrug.

"They've been gone so long that I guess I just got used to not having them around," he said casually.

"What happened? I mean... if that's okay..." Maya asked carefully.

"It's fine." Phoenix said with a sad smile. "They died in a plane crash. I was too young when it happened to remember them. My Grandma raised me."

Maya nodded, although her heart went out to him, she was pleased that he had chosen to share something so personal with her. She frowned, once the reality of what he had revealed started sinking in.

"It's really not fair," she said quietly.

"What isn't?"

"So many of us have grown up without our parents," she lamented. "Me, you, Pearly... even Edgeworth. It's really awful that we all share that in common."

"Yeah," he agreed sadly. "But I think it helped shape who we all are today."

"Nick... if... if you ever want to see them, you know I can arrange that," Maya offered.

Phoenix gave her shoulder a squeeze. He'd never even thought of that.

"Thanks," he said earnestly.

They settled into a comfortable silence while Phoenix actually considered the possibility of meeting his parents. Although, having his mother channelled by Maya might be a little weird. Maybe she could get someone else to do it.

"I hope when I have children, I live long enough to see their children," Maya said hopefully, jarring Phoenix from his thoughts. "Maybe even my grandchildren's children too."

"You will," Phoenix reassured.

Maya hoped he was right. Here she was, barely twenty and already having lived through multiple attempts on her life. She shuddered to think what else could possibly be in store for her.

Phoenix thought carefully before broaching his next subject. He hoped it wouldn't upset her, but honesty seemed to be the theme of the evening.

"Have you given any thought to maybe channelling your mother?" he suggested gently.

Maya tensed slightly at the mention of her mother, but quickly allowed the tension to dissipate.

"I don't think I'm ready yet, Nick." she replied. "But I will. One day soon, I will."

Phoenix nodded. He wouldn't push her on it. He trusted that she would seek her mother out once she had a little more time to grieve.

"I've got big shoes to fill." Maya stated, giving Phoenix a window as to what she was thinking about.

"I think you'll find they already fit," he responded, keeping with her analogy. She laughed lightly.

"Thanks Nick, but my Mom... they say she was something else. The best there ever was," she explained, her voice drifting. "She tied it all together. She ran the village and had a family. No channelling job was too difficult for the great Misty Fey."

"I'm sure future generations will speak the same of the great Maya Fey." Phoenix assured her with a smile.

"By the time my mother took the Master's position on her twentieth birthday, she was already married _and_ she had Mia," Maya said, shaking her head.

"No kidding?" Phoenix mused. Looking down at Maya he found it hard to imagine her married with a family at her age. She was only just coming to terms with who she was. Misty must have been a strong woman. But Maya held that same strength too, even if she didn't realise it.

"I just don't know if I'm ready," she frowned, looking down at her elaborate robes. "Look at me. I look ridiculous. I feel like a kid playing dress up."

Phoenix shook his head at her. She was so dense.

"You are ready. It will be tough, but you'll do great. You'll be outshining your mother before you know it."

Maya turned, wrapping her arms around his waist and resting her head against his chest. He returned the hug, pulling her closer to him.

"Thank you, Nick." she sniffed.

"And you don't look ridiculous at all," he said quietly. She looked up at him just as he angled his head downwards to press his lips against her cheek. "You look beautiful," he finished with a whisper.

He felt her clutch lightly at his shirt as his breath tickled her ear. He shifted slightly, resting his forehead against hers as his nose grazed hers gently. After only a moments hesitation, her lips found his in a soft kiss she felt she had waited an eternity for.

* * *

Edgeworth walked into the kitchen, placing the empty wine bottles on the counter with a faint clink. The gathering may have been a small one, but Maya's friends sure knew how to knock them back. Glancing at Maya's uncut birthday cake still sitting on the bench, he wondered where the guest of honour had disappeared to.

"_Come to think of it,"_ he mused. _"Wright is still missing also."_

The question of the pair's whereabouts was soon answered as Edgeworth caught sight of them through the balcony doors sharing a rather intimate embrace, absolutely oblivious to the fact that anyone who walked into the kitchen would see them.

In a decisive motion, Edgeworth swiftly pulled the cord on the drapes over the balcony doors, obscuring them from sight. He strolled back towards the kitchen counter, leaning down to select a Sauvignon Blanc from his wine rack before heading back to join the other guests.

The cake could wait.

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**A/N: Eww, Edgeworth. Sav Blanc? GROSS.**


	27. Althea's Plot

**A/N: Thanks so much to everyone who keeps reviewing. I really love hearing your feedback. I'm not sure if I have mentioned this before, but I have been trying to update my profile with the status of my next chapter and a small preview. I know my updates can be irregular so I figured this would help you all know how far off the next one is.  
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**Pearldrops: I never even realised the Edgeworth thing! I'll have to do some editing to make it work.**

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"You know what? This isn't nearly as hard as I thought it would be."

Maya snapped the binder she had been writing in closed with a satisfied grin. Another day of paperwork for Kurain's almighty Master was done and dusted, and it was only just after lunch. She'd managed to get into a routine of sorts over the past two weeks and was quite happily managing Kurain's affairs without actually having to be there.

"Good to hear," Phoenix said with a nod from across the room. He picked up his coffee and took a sip, grimacing at the bitterness before placing the cup back down on his desk and flipping the page of his newspaper. Maya had been too swamped to make him coffee like she usually did, so he had resorted to utilising his own barista skills, or rather as he was learning, lack thereof. Deciding he definitely needed more practice, Phoenix turned his attention back to the paper in front of him.

Maya stood with a faint stretch and moved to his desk, perching herself on the edge and crossing her legs casually. Phoenix peered over the edge of his newspaper, raising an eyebrow.

Now that Maya was no longer required to wear acolyte training robes at all times, she had quite happily opted for a more casual look, or "normal people clothes" as she had called them. She'd gone on a couple of shopping trips with Ema, taking advantage of the fact that her new friend had decided to stay in the country a little longer before heading back to Europe next month. Maya seemed absolutely awestruck at being able to "go to the mall" and "pick out cute clothes". Ema was clearly a bad influence, but it had been a long time since Phoenix had seen Maya so happy. And if shopping helped that along, he was pretty sure he didn't have a problem with it. Especially considering she had her own money now.

"_Somehow, I still end up footing the burger bill though…"_ he thought dismally.

Phoenix couldn't help but gaze appreciatively at his assistants choice of attire for the day. He wasn't normally one to take any notice at all of what women around him wore, but with Maya it was somewhat of a novelty. Apart from her Master's robes (which he would admit he quite liked), he'd only ever seen her in acolyte robes or her pyjamas in the last three years. As far as he was concerned, this new change was welcome.

The white short sleeved blouse and black knitted vest she wore today with a black mini skirt her sister would have been proud of definitely accentuated a lovely figure that had been hidden from him under her unflattering robes for years. Her hair was free of any sort of ceremonial loops or knots, falling to her waist in a simple braid. She had finished off the outfit with knee high white stockings and black ballet flats, giving the whole ensemble a cutesy schoolgirl look which Phoenix decided he liked.

A lot.

He folded his newspaper and placed it down on the desk in front of him as the corner of his mouth turned up in a cheeky smile.

"Well look at you," he drawled, eyeing Maya up and down. "Sitting yourself on the edge of my desk like that. Who do you think you are? My sexy secretary?"

Maya chuckled lightly under her breath, before leaning over to grab his tie. With a grin, she tugged at the tie, pulling his face towards hers.

"Don't you forget it," she said playfully before silencing any response from him with a deep kiss. When they eventually broke for air, she felt Phoenix smile against her lips and couldn't help smiling in return.

"Somehow, I don't think I could," he said, his voice raspy. She smiled at him.

They hadn't talked about what had happened out on Edgeworth's balcony. Even though they had vowed to be more open and communicative about what they were thinking and feeling, Phoenix didn't think this was something that really required any more words at all. Ever since Maya had taken that leap and kissed him on her birthday, it was like she was a whole new person. She no longer seemed afraid of any changes in their relationship. She smiled more, laughed more. She was confident in herself and her position. And best of all, she had stopped pushing him away.

Things felt right. Phoenix marvelled at the way that everything seemed to have fallen into place. Maya was able to stay on with him as his assistant while still managing her duties as Master of Kurain. This was exactly what they had hoped for. The two of them had been through so much pain and heartache that he felt compelled to close his eyes and just take in the normalcy that had avoided them for so long.

Well, as normal as things could get living with a spirit medium anyway.

They hadn't told anyone about this new development between them, instead enjoying the thrill of sneaking around and stolen kisses. While it was true that most of their friends already suspected some form of romance between them, Phoenix didn't feel ready to share the details with anyone yet. This was something that they alone shared, personal and private. It was almost as if telling everyone else would dilute the excitement. He wasn't willing to share this side of her with anyone yet. That look in her gorgeous brown eyes was just for him.

"I really hope my acolytes made it to Hazakurain okay," Maya said distractedly, letting go of his tie. She straightened herself back up to a sitting position and began swinging her legs absently. "The phones are still down there. I sent a letter to Bikini to let her know that I was sending the girls, but I haven't been able to call."

Phoenix frowned. The storms had been bad. He had been trying to get through to Hazakurain himself, but had no luck.

"I'm sure they're fine," Phoenix assured her. "We just have to keep trying the phones. I'm sure we'll get through eventually."

Maya nodded.

"Well, I hope they can help over there. There are far too many acolytes in Kurain, yet there's only Iris and Bikini at Hazakurain. I don't understand why no one sent people sooner," she frowned.

"I'd say it has something to do with the 'Hazakurain Incident' that Mia's notes mention." Phoenix said. "Althea is trying to hide something from you. She knows about what happened there, I just know it."

Maya sighed noisily.

"Well, we're going to work out happened," she stated resolutely. Phoenix nodded.

"I don't buy for a single second that she's on your side," Phoenix said shaking his head. "Edgeworth saw through her niceness act as well."

"Well I don't believe that she sent Andre away either, but I guess we need to keep making her think that we do believe her," Maya frowned.

"Hmm," Phoenix nodded in agreement. Whatever Althea was up to, the more time they had to work it out, the better.

Maya picked up Phoenix's coffee and took a sip.

"Ugh!" she cried, screwing her nose up in disgust. "What is this, Nick? Did you confuse the dishwater for coffee or something?"

"That bad?" Phoenix asked sheepishly. Surely she was exaggerating.

"That bad." Maya confirmed as she stood, confiscating the cup. "I'm going to go dispose of this toxic waste and make you some _real_ coffee," she finished as she moved towards the stairs, holding his mug comically at arms length as if the mere smell of it could poison her.

Phoenix watched her ascend the narrow staircase fixated by the delicate sway of her hips in that tiny skirt. He grinned, at that moment feeling like the luckiest man on Earth.

* * *

"Do you think she believes you?" Andre Fey asked calmly as he sipped at his tea. Althea sat across the table from him, filling her own cup. She placed the teapot in the centre of the table, eyeing Andre casually.

"At this point, it doesn't matter," she stated. "Whether Mystic Maya believes you aren't here and that I stand in support of her as master really has no bearing. If she doesn't believe me, she will likely think having me think she does will give her the upper hand. This is not so."

"I see," Andre said, placing his cup down and lacing his fingers together. "However, if the hand you play is so foolproof, why is there a need for such niceties?"

"They are less likely to cause trouble if they believe things are in their favour. I assume they think it will buy them time to find out what we are up to," Althea answered.

"And what are we up to, exactly?" Andre asked.

"Getting impatient, are we?" Althea said with a small laugh. "Don't tell me you wish to control the situation as your mother would."

"Hardly," Andre responded. "I am merely curious as to your plans. I have no doubt in your ability to control things. But I do need to keep my mother believing that her own plans are on track. Perhaps if I could grasp the whole situation I would be better equipped to do so."

Althea smiled, nodding slowly.

"Be calm, my child. I did bring you here with the intention of explaining everything today."

Althea stood and moved across the room, unlocking the top drawer of a small chest on the far side. She removed some worn pieces of paper, placing them on the table in front of Andre before taking a seat again. He picked up the pages and scanned them briefly, a frown creasing his brow.

"These pages talk of the removal of a particular village law three generations ago. I don't get it," he said, confused.

Althea smiled knowingly.

"Yes, you are correct. The pages detail the removal of a law. However since I have taken those pages from the records there is no proof to show that it was ever removed."

Andre was beginning to understand.

"What law would this be?" he inquired.

"The law stating that if the heir to the Master of the Kurain technique is unmarried and childless at the time of her induction, she is to be sent to meditate in isolation until such a time as she is able to channel Mystic Ami Fey herself."

Andre almost grinned as Althea continued to explain.

"Most successors to the title were already married with daughters at the time of their induction, thus providing an heir to the position which back then was of the highest importance. Kurain was most concerned with keeping the main family in power and not having to resort to the branch family for a suitable heir. In the event that the new master was without a daughter to inherit the position, she would have to prove her worth to the village by channelling Mystic Ami, thus convincing the council that her substantial power was worthy of allowing extra time for her to produce a suitable heir. It was politics, plain and simple."

Andre nodded, understanding the elder woman's intentions.

"The council will not dispute the law, nor will they reject my claim that the law still stands if there is nothing to prove otherwise. The last three generations of Master were married and with child at their inductions, so no one will remember anything different, and as I am the village's historian, what I say on the matter will be believed. The only person who would have known the law was voted out was Lillian, and you already took care of that problem. Mystic Maya will be sent to an isolated cabin in the woods, separated from her beloved lawyer, whilst Pearl Fey will be given the position. As she is too young to formally accept, the administration of Kurain's dealings will revert back to me." Althea finished. "With you as an advisor of course, Andre. Your help removing Mystic Maya will not go unrewarded."

"You don't believe she will be able to complete the task and return to assume her position?" Andre asked, carefully making sure all possible outcomes were covered.

Althea scoffed at the notion.

"Absolutely not. Mystic Mara Fey took two years to complete the task and Maya is nowhere near her level. She will be out of the picture for a long time."

Andre nodded, impressed. He picked up his teacup, smiling plainly.

"Then I propose a toast," he began as Althea raised an eyebrow.

"To Master Pearl Fey."

* * *

Phoenix picked up the phone and dialled the number for the main house at Hazakurain. Maya was out picking up some groceries for dinner, so he figured it was worth another shot while she was out and he had nothing to do.

To his surprise, the line connected and the phone on the other end began ringing.

"Hello!" a cheery older woman answered. "You have reached the mystical mountains of Hazakurain! The number one spiritualist retreat in the country as voted by the readers of Oh Cult! Magazine!"

Phoenix spoke quickly, hoping to interrupt Sister Bikini's spiel before she had him booked in for the Ultra Special Course, whatever that was.

"Sister Bikini, it's Phoenix Wright. I have been trying to get a hold of your for weeks."

"Oh Mr Wright!" Bikini cried. "The storms here have had the phones out for quite some time. But I am so glad everything is working again. Now that the new girls are here we can begin taking more bookings!" she finished excitedly.

"That's good to know," Phoenix said. "Maya was wondering if the acolytes had arrived safely. She will be glad to hear they did."

"Oh yes!" Bikini chuckled. "The girls are lovely and so helpful. Please thank Mystic Maya for all her help."

"I will," Phoenix promised. "But there was something really important that I need to talk to you about."

"Oooh, you wish to book the Ultra Special Course?" Bikini predicted. "I'll start making the arrangements right away!"

"Err, no." Phoenix frowned. "This is something a little more important."

He paused as he considered how to broach his subject.

"How long have you lived at Hazakurain?"

"Why, going on thirty years now, Mr Wright. Why do you ask?" Bikini answered, confusion evident in her voice.

"Well, there's been some trouble at Kurain lately. Lillian Fey was murdered. Maya's sister Mia told us that it was Andre Fey who did it, although he has framed Mia for it. Andre is really Morgan Fey's son and he's working with Althea Fey to get rid of Maya. Althea placed a spirit block on Mia and right now, we have no idea what to do. I'm worried for Maya's safety. Mia has a bunch of notes that are years old that talk about an incident at Hazakurain. I was wondering if you knew what she was talking about." Phoenix finished, taking in a large breath.

The woman on the other end of the line was silent.

"Hello? Sister Bikini?" Phoenix asked, hoping he hadn't been disconnected again.

"I'm here Mr Wright," Bikini said sadly, the usual jovial ring to her voice notably absent.

"I know it's a lot to take in, but we just need some hel-"

"I think you should come and visit me, Mr Wright." Bikini interrupted solemnly. "I can help you, but it is far too much to explain over the phone, nor do I feel comfortable doing so."

"Sister Bikini…" Phoenix began. "I'm so sorry if this has dragged up some bad memories, but Maya's life could be in danger."

"I know, dear." Bikini said compassionately. "We all have to face our past eventually. Perhaps it is time."

Phoenix was silent for a few moments, wondering exactly what she meant by that. What did she know about the Hazakurain incident? Was she there at the time?

"You said that Althea Fey placed the spirit block on Mia Fey?" Bikini questioned cryptically, shaking Phoenix from his thoughts.

"Yes." Phoenix confirmed.

"Hmm."

Bikini paused for a moment before speaking again.

"Mr Wright, please come and see me as soon as you can. I will help in any way possible."

"Thank you," Phoenix sighed. "You don't know how much this means to us."

Phoenix hung up the phone, unsure whether he should be happy or concerned about the conversation that had just taken place. Bikini clearly knew about the Hazakurain Incident, but now that they were closer to finding out what it all meant, he began to worry about what they were about to find out.

* * *

Bikini hung up the phone and frowned, sighing heavily. Tears stung the corner of her eyes. She had really believed that this was over and done with forever, but now the past had come back to haunt her as she had always known it would.

She left the room, seeking out Iris who was sweeping the main entry way.

"Iris dear, I have something important that I need you to do."


	28. A Little Too Perfect

**A/N: Okay, so here's where it may get a bit confusing. My first chapter (if you can remember back that far) began with Phoenix sitting at his desk looking back over the last few months. This chapter brings us back to the present.**

**When I started writing this story, I really didn't expect it to be more than three chapters. But here we are at chapter 28, only just getting back to the present! I hope it's not too hard to follow!**

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The jarring sound of his cellular phone ringing snapped Phoenix back to the present, and out of his reverie. He rolled his eyes once his brain registered the tune. It appeared Maya had changed his ring tone back to the Steel Samurai theme. Again. Some things never changed. He reached across the desk to pick up his cell, frowning lightly as he glanced at the caller ID.

"Kristoph Gavin?" he remarked, wondering why Gavin of all people would be calling him. They barely even knew each other. Phoenix couldn't even remember where he got Kristoph's phone number in the first place. The clock on his phone also indicated that he had been reminiscing and daydreaming the afternoon away for close to forty five minutes.

"_You're a loser, Wright,"_ he laughed to himself, tearing his gaze away from the small bare feet and the distracting woman they belonged to before answering the call.

"Hello, Phoenix Wright speaking."

"Herr Wright. This is Kristoph Gavin. I need to ask you a very important question." Kristoph said, his thick German accent making him sound rather intimidating. Given the lack of pleasantries, Phoenix realised the call must be for something important.

"Go ahead."

"Do you play poker?"

"_What an odd request,"_ Phoenix thought in bewilderment.

"Well, I guess I do. Why do you ask?" he asked cautiously. What could this possibly be about?

"No time for explanations. I need you to come down to the detention center immediately."

Click. Kristoph had hung up.

"What is going on?" Phoenix wondered out loud.

He put his phone down and stood up, stretching. He'd been sitting at his desk too long. He glanced out the window, happy to note that the rain appeared to be easing up. The last thing he wanted was to head out in a torrential downpour. Being hospitalised again certainly wasn't on his to do list.

With a soft smile he crossed the office to where Maya was napping on the couch. She'd been shopping again this morning and a variety of coloured bags sat in a pile on the floor, along with the blue sandals she had been wearing. Phoenix chuckled and leant down beside her, gently tucking the hair that had fallen across her face behind her ear. She didn't stir. He knew for a fact that Ema was hard to keep up with. He could only imagine her dragging Maya from store to store.

"Maya..." he said softly. She didn't move.

"Maya..." he repeated a little louder.

"Hrmmmnn..." she murmured softly.

"I'm going down to the detention center. Want to come?" Phoenix asked, his voice still hushed.

"No. That's okay," she mumbled. "You go."

Phoenix shrugged lightly and stood up. She was clearly wiped out. Maybe it was best if he left her to sleep. He grabbed his jacket from the back of the couch where he had left it earlier, shrugging into it as he continued to observe her peaceful state. It wasn't too often that Maya was still like this. He was more used to her bouncing about the office like the buzzing ball of energy she was.

"Don't forget to let the cat out," she muttered. Phoenix frowned, slightly puzzled.

"Maya..." he said gently, "…we don't have a cat."

"I don't know!" she said sharply, causing Phoenix to jump. "Ask Mia... Purple?" she mumbled.

Phoenix peered down at his slumbering assistant. What was purple? What was he supposed to ask Mia? He opened his mouth to speak again, but Maya cut him off.

"A sandwich. Maybe two." She said, before turning on to her side, her long black tresses falling across her face again.

Finally, it dawned on him. She was talking in her sleep. Deciding it best to leave her to whatever weirdness she was dreaming about (and knowing Maya it would certainly be very weird), he leant down and brushed her bangs from her brow, placing a soft kiss on her forehead. With one last smile, he turned around and headed for the door. Kristoph probably wouldn't be too happy about being kept waiting.

"G'night Nick..." she whispered, the sound barely reaching his ears. "Love you..."

Phoenix froze. His mind raced._ "What did she just say?"_

Spinning on his heels, he turned to look at her. The expression on her face was peaceful and she appeared to be sleeping deeply, just as he had left her moments before. Phoenix frowned. Maybe he imagined her saying that. And even so, he told himself, if he wasn't hearing things, she was asleep. She could have been dreaming about anything...right?

He had been standing behind her that night she had been sobbing at Mia's grave, emotionally telling her sister that she loved him, but she'd never actually said the words to him. He felt an odd warmth blossom in his chest and flow through his body. He smiled down at her, unable to resist the urge to whisper a soft reply.

"I… I love you too, Maya."

Looking at his watch, Phoenix realised he really needed to go. He would have to think about this later. Striding over towards the door, he quickly grabbed his keys and phone before heading out into the dreary weather.

He vowed to himself as he sprinted down the stairs, that he would concentrate one hundred percent on whatever was happening down at the detention centre and leave his non work related thoughts back at the office.

His efforts however, though noble, were completely in vain. He realised as the taxi pulled up outside the detention centre that the only thing he had thought about the entire trip was Maya.

* * *

A harsh rapping on the door roused Maya from her sleep. Bolting upright at the noise, she took a moment to adjust to her surroundings, rubbing at her eyes before the intrusion began again. Finally registering the sound as someone knocking on the door, she slid her legs off the couch.

"Calm down, I'm coming," she muttered in annoyance as she padded towards the door. She wondered idly where Phoenix was when she realised he wasn't in the office. Perhaps he was upstairs.

Reaching the door finally, she smoothed down her hair and turned the handle only to find an apathetic looking postal worker standing before her chewing gum.

"Telegram for Maya Fey," he said emotionlessly. "You Maya Fey?"

"Yes," she nodded, taking the envelope from him and scribbling her name on the small pad that he offered. With a curt nod, he disappeared, leaving Maya to close the door and head back into the office.

She flopped back down on the couch with a thud, tearing open the envelope and removing the paper from inside. She stifled a yawn with the back of her hand as she read the contents.

_Mystic Maya Fey,_

_As decreed by long standing Kurain Law, any unmarried, childless Master of the Kurain technique is required to complete the task of channelling Ami Fey to prove her worth to the village. It is the elder council's duty to inform you that you must return to Kurain immediately and begin your isolation meditation. Once the task has been completed, you will be able to return to Kurain and reassume your position as Master. Pearl Fey will be acting Master of Kurain in your absence, assisted by the elder council._

_Failure to comply will result in your dismissal as Master of Kurain, with Pearl Fey named as your successor._

_Sincerely,  
Althea Fey  
On behalf of the Kurain Council of Elders_

Maya blinked, rereading the telegram for a second and third time before panic started setting in. Her breathing felt uneven as she sat there shaking and staring at the piece of paper in her hands.

"_This can't be happening,"_ Maya thought to herself as tears began to sting her eyes. Blinking them back, she knew she had to remain calm in order to find out what was going on. This had to be a mistake. She'd never heard of this law, surely… surely it couldn't be right.

* * *

Phoenix swore softly under his breath as he stepped out of the cab and into the thunderstorm. He made a quick dash for the main doors of the office building, but still wasn't able to escape the rain. Brushing some stray raindrops from his suit jacket, he caught sight of his watch.

It was past eight now and he should have been back hours ago. He had promised Maya that morning that he would take her out for dinner, but his afternoon had been a total disaster. The man Kristoph Gavin had arranged for him to see had been nothing but difficult, refusing to give him any information on the case he was taking tomorrow. His new client had decided after a single game of poker that he would hire Phoenix to represent him on a murder charge, but beyond that he had absolutely no clue what was going on.

He had then tried going to see Kristoph as he had been the man's previous attorney and might possibly have some worthwhile information. That didn't work out so well either. He'd gone all the way across to the other side of town to Gavin's office, only to find that Kristoph was now back at the detention centre where Phoenix had started. But by the time Phoenix got back to the detention centre, he had missed Kristoph again, running his phone flat in the process of trying to get a hold of the elusive German. Detective Gumshoe had given him the barest of details on the case, not for lack of trying though. He really had given Phoenix all the information he had for which the lawyer was thankful.

Then the storm had arrived, causing absolute traffic chaos. The fifteen minute cab ride back to the office took well over an hour. It probably would have been quicker to walk if there wasn't a danger of being blown away by gale force winds. Realising he would have been soaked to the bone before he'd even managed to walk a single block, Phoenix had remained in the cab, cursing the stupid weather and watching the meter tick over as the cab moved by inches.

Finally back at the office, he ran up the stairs two at a time reaching the door to his suite in no time. Somehow, coming home to Maya made the day's disastrous events seem a little less colossal. He fumbled with his keys, surprised to find the place in darkness once he got the door open. He had expected Maya to be sitting on the couch watching a movie and complaining about how hungry she was. Flipping on the lights, he frowned at the sight of Maya's desk, littered with cardboard boxes.

"Maya?" he called. There was no response.

Dumping his jacket and briefcase on his desk, he headed up the stairs to the apartment above, also shrouded in darkness. Phoenix began to get the feeling that something was very, very wrong.

"Maya? Are you up here?" he called again, panic etching into his voice. He opened the door to her bedroom, finding the floor covered with more boxes, but no Maya. He ran a hand through his hair wondering why all her stuff was packed up as if she were leaving. Surely she couldn't be that mad that he missed dinner.

Closing her bedroom door, he headed up the hallway to his own room, hoping to god that she was inside because he was fresh out of ideas. Opening the door softly, he was somewhat relieved to find Maya curled up on his bed. Realising she was crying, he moved to the bedside in an instant.

"Maya!" he said as he sat on the edge of the bed. "What's going on? What's the matter?"

Maya lifted her head slowly, pulling herself to a sitting position by tucking her feet underneath her. She wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand before silently handing Phoenix a crumpled piece of paper that she had been clutching.

He smoothed out the note as best he could, struggling to read in the dim light of the bedroom. It was a telegram from Kurain. He felt his breath catch in his throat as he read the words.

"They…" he began, "…they can't do this. This is…" he struggled to find the right words.

"They can," Maya croaked, her voice cracking.

"But… but how can they? How come you didn't know about this?" Phoenix stammered, unable to comprehend exactly what they were asking of her.

"It's an old law," Maya said sadly, her words offering little explanation. Phoenix groaned in frustration, balling up the telegram and tossing it across the room.

"I'm not letting you go anywhere," he stated plainly, fixing his gaze on the floor in front of him. He was so angry right now, but he didn't even for a second want her to think that any of it was directed at her.

"I…" she started, reaching out to touch his shoulder. "…we don't have a choice."

"There's always a choice, Maya. Always a solution," he reasoned, a little more sternly than he had meant to. She sniffed lightly. He reached up and squeezed her hand softly in a silent apology for his abruptness.

"There's no way." Maya said quietly. It appeared she had given up hope hours ago. Phone calls to council members earlier that day had all but confirmed Althea's telegram as the truth. There had been a council meeting that morning and it had been decided. If she didn't go through with it, Pearl would have to take over her position and Maya would never see her again.

"So let me get this straight," Phoenix said turning to face her. "Because you're not married and you don't have any children you can't be master until you prove yourself to them?"

Maya nodded solemnly.

"The most important function of the Master of Kurain is to provide an heir to inherit the position. Since I haven't done that, I need to complete this channelling in order to prove that my power is worth valuing over my ability to continue the main family line."

"So can't you just channel Ami Fey?" Phoenix asked, trying to understand. Why was it any different to channelling anyone else? Maya shook her head again.

"Channelling Ami Fey is the most difficult task any Fey can complete. It requires long periods of training and meditation and can only be performed in the place where she used to live. They're sending me there until I can do it. If I don't I'll be kicked out of Kurain and I'll never see Pearly again. She'll have to be Master and I can't do that to her Nick, I can't." Maya finished with a sob. Phoenix slid his arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer to him as she started to cry again.

"Why is this only coming up now?" Phoenix asked her gently. If this was a long standing law, surely she should have known about it. She wiped at her eyes and cleared her throat before attempting to answer.

"The last three Masters before me were all married with children when they took the position. No one knew about this because it hadn't been mentioned in so long. There was no need for all this until me," she explained, her eyes filling with tears again.

"Then we'll get married." Phoenix said desperately, grabbing her hands. "We can have children!"

Maya's silence was deafening. His head drooped as he fought back tears of his own. He knew it was too late for that, but he would give anything if it meant she could stay.

"Nick…" Maya said softly, causing him to look back at her, his grief stricken expression like a knife to her heart. "…I have to go."

Phoenix shook his head.

"No. You can't go. No." he repeated, still shaking his head. He clutched at her hands as if doing so would keep her with him. She remained silent as she closed her eyes and allowed the tears to fall. They both knew that nothing said tonight would change anything. Maya leant against his shoulder, her tears soaking through the fabric of Phoenix's shirt.

Phoenix felt helpless. A debilitating mixture of sadness, anger and desperation coursed through him. How could they have let Althea do this? This had been her plan all along and when it came down to it, she had played her hand so well that there was nothing they could do about it. This wasn't right. Things weren't supposed to go this way. The bad guy wasn't supposed to win.

But Maya was leaving, and there was nothing he could do to stop her.

"My train leaves at nine." Maya uttered after a long silence. Her words felt like a blow to his stomach. Not only was she leaving him, but tonight?

"Maya, it's already after eight, and it's pouring out there." Phoenix reasoned. "Please, just stay tonight."

Maya sighed.

"I don't want this to be any harder than it already is," she whimpered. "I should just go."

Phoenix frowned, desperate to make her understand that all he wanted was a little more time with her.

"No." he said. "It doesn't matter if you leave today or tomorrow or six months from now. It's not going to hurt any less."

He swallowed nervously, debating whether or not to say what he was about to say. Deciding it was best to be honest, he took a deep breath.

"I love you, Maya."

Whatever shred of strength Maya had been using to hold herself together disappeared in an instant as she broke down in his arms. Harsh sobs wracked her body as she clung to Phoenix's shirt. This was all so hopeless. Emotion flooding through her, her lips found his as she continued to cry. He seemed shocked at first, but soon began to respond gently, hoping that soft kisses could at least help relieve some of the pain they were both feeling.

He held her close to him well into the night, her nine o clock train departure time coming and going without another word. Her cries soon settled to light sobs and eventually she tired of crying altogether. The thunderstorm raged outside as Phoenix thought it seemed fitting that even the weather was angry at their situation.

He spent the rest of the night kissing her softly and gently stroking her hair and back. She clung to him as he whispered reassuringly in her ear that everything was going to be okay and that he would never let anyone hurt her.

The both knew they were lies, but they were lies they both wanted so desperately to believe.

* * *

**A/N: The angst returns. Sorry guys!**


	29. I'll Wait For You

**A/N: Oookay.**

**So I debated long and hard about heading down the slippery slope that was the Apollo Justice timeline and after a lot of consideration I decided I needed to make it work. Sadly it is an inescapable part of Phoenix's story (although I could have killed Capcom for turning my beloved attorney into a disbarred alcoholic) and I refuse to believe that Maya just disappeared when he lost his badge. As much as I abhor the complete character assassination of Phoenix, we did get Trucy out of the deal and I adore that little munchkin. So I'm working the AJ timeline of events into my story, at least the beginning of them anyway.**

**The next ten chapters I have planned (could possibly end up being 11 or 12 if my muse deems it so) will involve a LOT of story being revealed, there is a lot I have kept from you guys and I'm now hoping that the story won't end up too rushed now that I need all of the facts to come out. I have a lot of loose ends and even now I'm still looking through my notes (17 pages of story notes!) and adding new ideas and scenarios that would add even more length to the story and allow more characters to participate in the resolution of the problems poor Phoenix and Maya face. (I'm talking about you, Kay Faraday ;)**

**So in response to some reader questions, yes this is going to delve into the events of AJ in a roundabout way. I really don't think there is any avoiding it. I want to make my story as canonically possible as I can. It's been two years since I played AJ so I've been consulting the AA wiki a fair bit – I hope I don't remember things wrong or leave things out. If something doesn't make sense, feel free to correct me in a review – I really appreciate the fact that you guys read this and want to help me make it as good as possible.**

**I've used some game dialogue again in this chapter – I didn't write it (obviously), but it made sense to me to elaborate on the thoughts and emotion behind it. And I have to tell you, even though I am writing this story, I still find myself yelling at Nick to not take the case. Just stay home! If only he had done just that. **

**Longest A/N ever! Okay, I'll shut up. Here's your chapter!

* * *

**

"I can't believe I'm doing this," Maya said, trying her best not to sound afraid. Her small laugh was forced, an odd attempt at bravery in the face of a sad and unfamiliar situation. Phoenix tore his gaze away from her for a moment and surveyed the busy train platform. Maya didn't usually take the peak hour train, but since his trial started at nine thirty this was the latest departure time they could have managed without making him late. Considering he had done zero preparation he figured he should at least get to the courthouse on time if he had any chance at all of securing an innocent verdict.

He watched the people around them as they bustled along the platform jumping on and off trains and preparing for a day of work or school. He wondered if there was anyone else at the station today saying goodbye to someone they loved. He wondered if their heart ached like his did right now. Turning his attention back to Maya, he saw her looking up at him expectantly, her eyes questioning what he had been thinking about. Gazing down at her, he knew that walking away from her today was going to be the most difficult thing he had ever done.

She huffed lightly, her breath visible in the morning chill as the cold air tinted her cheeks and the tip of her nose a light pink shade. The hood of her jacket was pulled up over her head, its fur trim framing her face as her long black hair spilled out the front in waves.

"_She's easily the most beautiful girl here,"_ Phoenix thought with admiration, as he swiftly pulled out his phone, snapping a picture of the startled woman in front of him. The picture was perfect. Her eyes were wide, her cheeks flushed and lips slightly parted with an unspoken question, that split second now forever captured. Phoenix smiled, slipping the phone back into his pocket. He wondered if she actually knew how beautiful she was.

"Nick!" she complained. "What did you do that for? My nose is all red, I can feel it."

She brought a hand to the tip of her nose instinctively, frowning when her fingertips confirmed it was ice cold.

"Great. I'm leaving you for god knows how long, and the one picture you take to remember me by l look like Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer."

"It's a beautiful picture," he offered reassuringly.

She pouted disbelievingly, screwing up her nose.

"And don't worry," he added as an afterthought. "You'll be back before you know it. Then I can take a new picture."

She sighed softly, gazing up at him compassionately. She really wanted to believe him. Desperately so. The thought of returning to him would be the only thing to help her push through. But who was she kidding? She was too old for fairy tales. Her eyes downcast, she shook her head sadly.

"It took my great great grandmother two years, Nick," she sighed. "And she was... well... let's just say I'm _nowhere_ near her level."

Phoenix gently tilted her chin upward, her sad eyes meeting with his.

"Maya, you'll set the record. I'm sure of it," he said firmly, his voice unwavering and expression confident.

Maya smiled tenderly, wondering how on earth she was going to live without him after so long. Their little makeshift family was being torn apart by obligation and circumstance. Maya fought back tears. Not just for herself and not just for Phoenix. Who would take care of Pearl?

"Please, Nick..." she began. "While I'm gone, check in on Pearly as much as you can? She'll be so lonely. Make sure she's being taken care of."

It wasn't something Maya needed to ask. Phoenix had planned on doing it anyway.

"You know I will," he said simply. "But maybe you should send her to Hazakurain," he added after a small pause. "Just to be sure..."

Maya nodded. The thought had crossed her mind. Even though Pearl would be acting Master of Kurain in her absence, it was more of a formality than an actual official role. She was far too young for any real responsibility. The council would likely just continue to run things as they always had. Pearl shouldn't need to stay in Kurain and Maya knew she would be much safer with her sister far away from Althea and Andre.

Phoenix's heart lurched at the idea of poor little Pearls facing the world without himself and Maya to protect her. A memory resurfaced of the elderly woman on the train to Hazakurain who had assumed Pearl was his daughter and Maya his wife. It was a scenario he had quickly denied then, but now he would give anything to make it a reality. Perhaps it wasn't too late for that.

"Maya, have you ever thought about applying for formal adoption of Pearls?"

Maya furrowed her brow and shook her head.

"I can't... her mother is still alive. She'll be out of prison eventually. Morgan would have to give her up and she would never do that," Maya explained.

Phoenix scoffed lightly.

"Are you forgetting what I do for a living?" he asked her with a wry grin, drawing her attention to the badge on his lapel. "You know we could get around things like that. With Morgan's record, she's not fit to be Pearl's guardian. You're old enough now, and I really think we could take better care of her than anyone else could."

Maya thought about his idea for a few moments, before her brain latched on to the most important part of what he had just said.

"We?" she asked him, raising her eyebrows sadly. In about ten minutes there would be no more 'we' when it came to her and Phoenix. She would have to get on that train and leave him behind with no way of knowing when they would see each other again. He didn't seem to be able to grasp the fact that channelling Ami Fey could quite possibly take her a very, very long time.

Phoenix shuffled on the spot and stuffed his hands in his pockets.

"Sure," he shrugged, his eyes avoiding hers. He knew what she was trying to say, but he didn't want to hear it. "You know I adore her."

Maya's heart constricted at the happy future Phoenix was painting for the three of them. Wonderful, devoted, loyal, Phoenix. She sighed. Why couldn't it be that easy? Last night he had suggested they get married without a single moment of hesitation making it more than clear to her how much he wanted to be with her. Maya's heart ached as she allowed herself a brief moment to imagine what it would be like to marry him and have his children. Squeezing her eyes shut, she banished the thought from her mind. It was too painful to consider with the reality they were now facing. She couldn't ask him to put everything on hold in the hope that she would be coming back soon.

"Phoenix..."

Maya's uncharacteristic use of his full name caught Phoenix's attention; he snapped his head up to look at her. Her eyes were calm, but sad and resolute at the same time as she regarded him carefully.

"I'm going to be gone for a very long time. Years even. I can't ask..."

"I'll wait for you."

His adamant declaration cut her off before she was able to finish. He couldn't let her finish that sentence.

Phoenix's serious expression touched Maya's heart. She smiled softly and brought a hand up to stroke his cheek tenderly. Phoenix Wright was indeed loyal to a fault.

She said nothing. She knew she couldn't change his mind today but in time his attachment to her would fade, she was sure. He would eventually meet someone else and move on. It was for the best. She loved him, but she would never dream of holding his life for ransom.

"When you get back, you should really look into it. I'll help you with all the legalities, you know that." Phoenix said, shifting the conversation back to Pearl and of course more talk of Maya's return.

Maya nodded slowly, turning her attention back to the earnest man standing before her.

"You really think you'd be ready to be an instant dad?" she asked him with a small smile.

Phoenix shrugged. His eyes travelled across the crowded platform and settled on a man about his age, busy tying his young daughters' shoelaces. The little girl smiled down at her father as he finished the job. He then picked her up settling the small girl on his hip. Maya followed Phoenix's line of sight, smiling softly when she spotted the father and daughter duo.

"It can't be that hard." He said casually, glancing back at Maya.

Maya smiled at him again. It was true, he was fantastic with Pearl, always patient and kind. There was no doubt in her mind that he would make an amazing father. But he was talking like she would be back within a few months. Maya didn't want to even think about how wrong that might actually be.

The muffled voice of the station conductor came blaring over the loudspeaker, signalling to all travellers that the train was due to depart momentarily. Maya lost all of her composure, dropping her suitcase and throwing her arms around Phoenix, hugging him as tightly as she could. She never wanted to let him go. He hugged her back, crushing her small frame against his. He felt exactly the same way. For a brief moment he considered blowing off the trial and asking her to run away with him. They could take Pearl and never look back. But they both had their responsibilities. Their lives had to separate here.

She touched her forehead to his, a lone tear escaping and beginning its sad journey down her cheek.

"I'm going to miss you…" she whispered, her voice shaking.

"Me too," he said, feeling slightly foolish at not having had anything more touching to say. Why could he never find the right words? In a flash of clarity he realised that there were no words to express what he was trying to communicate, so he pressed his lips against hers, pouring everything he was trying to say into one last kiss. He hoped she got the message.

Reluctantly, she pulled away from him, picking up her suitcase and backing up towards the train. His grip remained firmly on her hand, until her distance forced him to let it slip away. She turned away and boarded the train, looking over her shoulder at him one last time before the doors slid closed.

He was reminded of that fateful night during their last trip to Hazakurain, when he had found her in her room crying softly in the moonlight. It was the first time he had truly seen her for the beautiful woman she was and he had finally admitted his feelings to himself. There was so much in her eyes that night that he couldn't identify, but now he could clearly understand what he had been unable to interpret before.

Love.

Maya loved him. Completely. She had for a long time.

Deep down he knew that he had loved her for a long time too. Perhaps even before he had crossed that burning bridge.

The train heaved into motion, and Phoenix let his head drop. She was gone.

The busy station bustled with life as people went about their daily business. No one seemed to notice the forlorn man standing alone on the platform with his shoulders slumped and a heavy, empty feeling where his heart should be.

* * *

Entering the court lobby, it didn't take long for Phoenix to find his client. There weren't many people in the building dressed in a magician's outfit. He was suddenly hit by an attack of nerves. Not only had he done no preparation, but he couldn't ever remember going into the courtroom without Maya, or someone else at his side. Even as a rookie, Mia had been there to help him. He could sure use her help right now.

Phoenix wondered if Mia knew about what was going on with Maya from wherever she was stuck on the other side. Surely she would be able to help them. Once this trial was over with he needed to get to Hazakurain as quickly as possible. If Bikini had ties with Kurain like he suspected she did, maybe she knew someone who could remove a spirit block. Mia would know what to do for sure. He hoped his former boss wouldn't be upset with him for failing to protect her baby sister. He wasn't sure he could handle her disappointment. He was angry enough with himself as it was for being powerless to help Maya.

Before he could allow himself to think about Maya any further, Phoenix took a deep breath.

"_Time to focus on this trial and get it over with... whatever it's about."_

"Ah. Good Morning Mr. Enigmar." Phoenix said, hoping desperately that he sounded more confident than he felt.

Shadi Enigmar smiled apologetically.

"I'm sorry to have sprung this on you so suddenly," he said, his expression seemingly genuine. Phoenix bit back the urge to point out that he could have been more helpful yesterday, deciding instead to cling to some form of professionalism. Well, the best he could muster under the circumstances, anyway.

"I received the files from your previous attorney only yesterday." Phoenix said. He neglected to mention that the brief notes Kristoph had left him had sat untouched on his desk until earlier that morning, and with everything that had happened with Maya in the last twenty four hours he had only barely managed to skim over the contents in the cab on the way to court.

"Honestly, I'm not sure I'm prepared," he finished, shaking his head.

"I understand I am asking the impossible of you..." Shadi said, frowning slightly.

"Yes, well you haven't really told me what happened yet. All we did was play cards." Phoenix said, wondering why his client couldn't see the importance of letting his lawyer know what was going on.

"And that was enough." Shadi said cryptically.

Phoenix frowned. This wasn't a poker tournament, and he couldn't challenge the judge to a game of Texas Hold 'Em to secure an innocent verdict.

"Ooh! Morning, Daddy!"

A little girl who looked no older than Pearl skipped towards Phoenix and his client from the other side of the room.

"_This must be his daughter." _Phoenix thought to himself.

"Ah, I'm so glad you came!" Shadi said with a genuine smile for the little girl.

"You okay Daddy? They picking on you?" she asked, rolling up her sleeves, as if she wanted to pummel anyone who was bullying her father.

Shadi laughed at his daughter's valiant action.

"I'm fine, as always."

Phoenix felt his heart lurch as he looked at the girl and her father. She was so much like Pearl. Poor little Pearl didn't even have Maya to look out for her anymore. He hoped that she would be safe until Maya was allowed to come home.

"This old boy is here to help me, after all." Shadi said, motioning to Phoenix.

Phoenix scowled. Who was he calling old? If he were to hazard a guess he would say that his client was a good deal older than he was. He shook his head and kneeled down to speak to the little girl.

"Good Morning." Phoenix greeted the tiny girl with a smile. "That's a cute outfit you have on."

She was dressed in what appeared to be a child's version of her father's elaborate magician's outfit. It was the same odd shade of pink and all.

"Thanks!" she said with a grin. "My first show's today, after all."

"I'm sure it is!" Phoenix said, patting her on the head. He had absolutely no idea what she was talking about but decided it was best to humour her anyway. He could never bring himself to dampen the excitement of someone who reminded him so strongly of Pearls. He stood, preparing to speak to Shadi, when the little girl's voice interrupted him.

"Oh... Old boy!" she said, looking expectantly at Phoenix.

"Huh? Me?" he asked the girl, grimacing when he realised that her father's casual reference to him earlier had stuck.

"Um, uh... Here.' She said, thrusting a crumpled piece of paper into his hands. Phoenix looked at it briefly. It appeared to be some sort of diary page.

"What's this?" he asked her.

"I dunno! I just got it over there in the hall." She said cheerfully, pointing in the direction she had come from earlier. "They told me to give it to the old boy in the blue suit with the spiky hair. They said it was really important!"

With a smile, he pushed the piece of paper into his pocket, ignoring the prickling sensation making the hair on the back of his neck stand up. It had been a rough twenty four hours. He needed to just concentrate and get this trial over and done with. Then he could start working out how to help Maya.

* * *

Standing at the defense bench without his assistant, Phoenix glanced down at the spot where she should have been. He allowed himself one final moment to reflect on the events of the night before. He remembered kissing her softly as he held her close to him, caressing her face and wiping away her tears as she clung to him in the darkness of his bedroom.

He wanted to remember every last detail. The smell of her hair, the smoothness of her skin, the taste of her lips… and the total feeling of contentment he had felt when shortly before she had fallen asleep, she had whispered his name.

Followed by three perfect words.

"…_I love you…" _

She would always hold his heart. It didn't matter that she thought his feelings would fade if she didn't return soon. She was so very wrong.

Cruel fate had shown him something beautiful and then snatched it away. Closing his eyes, he sent her a silent message.

"_I don't care how long it takes, or what we have to do to get there. We will make it, Maya."_

"Is there something wrong, Mr Wright?"

The judge's impatient voice interrupted his thoughts. Phoenix took a deep breath and straightened his shoulders, lifting his chin up high.

"No, your honour." He said resolutely.

"Well, then, if the defense is ready…" the judge said, banging his gavel, "…court is now in session for the trial of Shadi Enigmar."

* * *

**A/N: Run away Phoenix! FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT IS HOLY GET THE HELL OUT OF THAT COURTROOM NOW!**

***sigh***

**If only he'd listened to me.**

**EDIT: Thanks nevertalk for correcting me on Zak & Trucy's outfits! They were indeed pink and not yellow!  
**


	30. Family Ties

**Thank you so much for all the wonderful reviews of the last chapter. I really appreciate it. It's so great to see so many new reviewers as well. I'm thrilled that even this far along, new people are discovering and enjoying my little tale.**

**This chapter trumped my previous longest by a few hundred words. I considered splitting it up as there is a lot going on, but eventually decided against it. A lot happens during this chapter rather quickly, so I hope I pulled it off okay and it isn't too difficult to follow.**

**I haven't done a disclaimer in a while, so I must say that I don't own Ace Attorney. That honour belongs to the glorious folks at Capcom. I cannot wait for Layton vs Wright!

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**

"Mystic Maya!"

Pearl's lip trembled as her tears began to fall. Maya knelt down slowly, bringing herself to eye level with her devastated young cousin.

"Oh Pearly," Maya said, gathering the small girl up in an embrace. "Everything is going to be okay. Please don't cry."

Pearl sniffed, clinging to Maya.

"But why do you have to go? I don't want you to go Mystic Maya," she wailed.

Maya sighed. Two heartbreaking goodbyes in one day was more than she could handle.

"I don't want to go either, but I don't have a choice. I'm the master now, and I have to do the masters job," Maya said in the bravest voice she could manage. She had to stay strong and show Pearl that she wasn't afraid, even though she wanted nothing more than to break down and cry along with her.

"But I'll be all alone!" Pearl tried to reason. "If you leave me, I'll be all alone!"

Maya hugged her tighter, hoping her words would offer some comfort.

"No you won't Pearly," she said softly, trying her best to ease Pearl's fears. "I'm going to make sure they take you to Hazakurain to stay with Iris and Sister Bikini. They'll take good care of you. And Nick promised to come and visit you as much as he can too."

Maya's proposed arrangement seemed to placate Pearl somewhat. She sniffed lightly, her little face filling with concern as she realised that while she would have Iris and Bikini to take care of her, Maya was the one that would be all alone.

"But Mystic Maya, you won't get to see Mr Nick! I just know he's going to be sad." she said quietly, tears filling her eyes once again. "Special someone's shouldn't be apart!"

Pearls innocent words tugged at Maya's heartstrings. The little girl had no idea how right she was.

"I know Pearly." Maya finally managed, her bravado dangerously close to faltering at the mention of Phoenix. "That's why I need you to take care of him for me. You have to make sure he's not sad whenever you see him."

Pearl looked unconvinced of her ability to do the job.

"I'll try, Mystic Maya. But no one can make Mr Nick as happy as you do."

Maya's words got stuck in her throat as she stared at her small cousin. A tear that had been threatening to fall finally made its escape, trailing down her cheek. She remembered leaving Phoenix on the platform that morning, his sad eyes forever burned into her memory. She had cried all the way back to Kurain, barely managing to hold herself together once she had arrived back in the village. She had tried to call him an hour or so ago to see how his trial had gone, but he hadn't answered his phone. As much as it hurt her to not be able to speak to him one last time, perhaps it was best if they didn't have to go through another painful goodbye.

Maya stood quickly, placing a hand on Pearl's shoulder when she noticed Mystic Marion of the elder council approaching them. Marion brought with her the four acolytes who were to lead Maya to Mystic Ami's cabin, which was hidden in the vast woodland between Kurain Village and the Hazakurain mountain ranges. Maya knew of its existence, but its exact location was a well guarded secret. Only those handpicked by the elders were privy to that information. It was a sacred place that was not meant to be easily found.

Maya pulled her cloak together in an attempt to keep out the winds biting chill that had arrived with the setting sun. The spring days were indeed getting warmer, but the mornings and nights were still cold, especially since it was still snowing in Hazakurain. With the sun disappearing beneath the horizon, it was just about time to depart.

Maya squared her shoulders and lifted her chin as the small party drew closer. She would not give any of them the satisfaction of seeing her in any sort of emotional state. While she had never had any problems with Mystic Marion before, she was aware that the woman was always quick to tow Althea's line, no matter what doing so involved.

"Master Maya," the woman said formally. Maya nodded in response.

"I had expected Althea to see me off this evening." Maya stated plainly. Pearl clutched at Maya's leg, hiding partially behind her. Although the people before her were not strangers, the tiny girl could sense the tension in the air, which made her uneasy.

"Mystic Althea has taken ill, my dear." Marion explained. "She requested that I be here in her place."

Maya raised an eyebrow.

"_Taken ill?"_ she thought disbelievingly. _"Not ill enough."_

She had a feeling that Althea was watching her departure from somewhere close by. Heck, she was probably even high fiving Andre and breaking out in to a victory dance at that very moment.

"She wishes you all the best and hopes to see you return soon." Marion added, noting Maya's silence.

"I'm sure," Maya said dryly. It would have been near on impossible for Marion to miss the sarcasm in Maya's reply, but nonetheless the older woman didn't respond.

"I'd like arrangements to be made immediately for Pearl to be moved to Hazakurain in my absence." Maya said firmly. "Please make sure this is done."

"Yes, of course Master Maya." Marion nodded submissively. The woman seemed to cower under any sort of authority, explaining easily why Althea had such a strong influence over her.

Maya knelt down to speak to Pearl once more.

"Pearly, I have to go now, so I need you to stay with Mystic Marion, okay?"

Pearl nodded her understanding, trying her best to hold back tears.

"I want you to go and pack your things so they can take you to Hazakurain tomorrow. You make sure you stay there until I come back, okay?"

Pearl nodded again, flinging her arms around Maya's neck and sobbing lightly.

"I love you, Mystic Maya. Please come back soon," she whispered.

"I love you too Pearly. You be a brave girl now and take care of Iris and Sister Bikini and especially Nick while I'm gone, okay? Remember what we talked about."

Mystic Marion stepped forward and took Pearls hand, leading her away. Reluctantly, Pearl let go of Maya, inching away as her cousin stood tall.

Without another word, Maya turned and left the pair behind striding towards the path that led to the forest. She heard the acolytes behind her pick up her belongings and follow suit. She hoped she could escape into the darkness before anyone saw the tears coursing down her cheeks.

* * *

Phoenix sat on the floor behind his desk, his head resting against the large wooden bookcase. For the fifth time that hour, he briefly considered getting up off the floor and perhaps moving to the couch where it would be a little more comfortable. But the alcohol running through his bloodstream soon ensured that particular thought forgotten as other thoughts flooded his mind in a drunken haze.

Apart from getting up to use the bathroom or to source more booze he'd been sitting down here for two days. He hadn't slept. He hadn't showered. He hadn't even changed his clothes. His legs were aching from lack of use, or they would have been if he wasn't so damn drunk.

He clutched lightly at the wine bottle in his left hand, the latest of many, bringing it to his lips for another swig. He'd stopped grimacing at the foul taste a long time ago, barely registering the acrid tang of the cheap wine as it passed over his tongue. He didn't care what it tasted like, so long as it helped ease the emptiness he felt.

Ease was probably the wrong word. He recognised the emotions he was feeling, but they felt distant. Almost like the pain wasn't his. He felt almost as if he were watching a grainy old black and white film, and this was the part where the main character had lost it all. His life, his love, his reason for living. He wondered idly if this movie had a happy ending, or whether it had somehow turned from a beautiful romance flick into a terrifying tragedy.

His cell phone began ringing, its screen lighting up the darkness as the vibrating motion caused it to inch around on the floor beside him. Recognition of the Steel Samurai theme caused a dull ache in his chest, yet so far he hadn't been able to bring himself to change the annoying tune. He was surprised the phone still had any charge remaining at all. It had been ringing nonstop since the trial two days ago. He'd even had people come to the office door trying to speak to him. They were mostly reporters though, and they seemed to give up quickly enough when he didn't answer. It appeared news did indeed travel fast, especially when it was bad news.

He picked up the phone, fumbling with the buttons in an attempt to reject to call but wound up inadvertently answering it instead. He could hear Detective Gumshoe's gruff voice on the other end of the line without even holding the phone to his ear.

"Pal! Hey Pal! Are you there? Can you hear me?"

Phoenix hadn't spoken a word in almost forty eight hours. Curiosity about what people were saying mixed with a twinge of loneliness made him second guess his decision to hang up on his detective friend.

"I'm here." Phoenix croaked, his voice sounding alien even to him.

"Oh Pal!" Gumshoe said, relieved. "I've been trying to call you for days. Are you okay?"

Was he okay? Of course he wasn't.

"Everything I lived for is gone. It's all gone. She's gone." Phoenix mumbled.

"What? Who's gone?" Gumshoe questioned. "Where's Maya, pal?"

"Gone." Phoenix said cryptically. "She's gone."

Gumshoe paused on the other end of the line, wondering what the hell Phoenix was babbling about. Just how drunk was he? Maya would never leave Wright, that much he knew.

"But Maya wouldn't leave you," he said, puzzled. "Especially not now. Where did she go?"

"They made her go back to Kurain." Phoenix slurred. He briefly registered Gumshoe's sigh on the other end of the line.

"Of all the lousy timing…" Gumshoe whispered under his breath.

He was silent for a moment before speaking again.

"Look pal, I rang to talk to you about the little girl, but I'm guessing this isn't the best time. She'll be fine with Maggey for a few more days, but she keeps saying she is supposed to stay with you."

A vision of Pearl flashed through Phoenix's hazed mind, before he frowned lightly, realising she wasn't the girl Gumshoe was talking about. He recalled an image of his clients daughter. The little magician girl… Lucy? Was it? What did she want with him?

"You know, Gumshoe…" Phoenix muttered after a small pause, having already forgotten about the little girl, "Didn't you know I'm a criminal? Police people aren't supposed to be friends with criminals."

"Aw c'mon pal." Gumshoe said sadly. "We all know you're innocent. You'd never do anything like forge evidence."

Gumshoe's words of support were of little consolation to Phoenix.

"I used it," he stated with a slight hiccup. "I did it. I used it. I didn't even read it. God damn it, I used it and I didn't even think. She would have stopped me if she was there. I know she would have. This is all my fault."

Phoenix broke down slightly as Gumshoe remained awkwardly silent on the other end of the line.

"If Maya's back in Kurain, maybe you should go there too, pal." Gumshoe offered eventually, realising just how much worse Maya's absence was making Phoenix's situation. "You really shouldn't be alone right now."

Phoenix blinked a few times, registering Gumshoe's words, and playing them back like a recording in his mind. It was the best idea he'd heard in the last two days.

"You know what? You're right. You're right. I need to go there and tell them that they can't take her away from me. I'm gonna go there and I'm going to tell them that their laws are stupid and that they're stupid and that I'm taking Maya with me. And Pearls. Pearls is coming with me too.

Phoenix stood defiantly, wobbling slightly when he reached his feet as the combined effects of too much alcohol and complete misuse of his legs nearly knocked him back to the floor.

"I'll show them that they can't take her away from me," Phoenix said, letting his phone slip through his fingers. It fell to the floor with a crash, prematurely ending his conversation with the confused detective. He stepped over the phone, pausing only to grab his wine bottle before heading out the door and out of the office building.

He only had one destination in mind.

* * *

"Hello? Hello? Pal? Aw, damn it."

Gumshoe hung up the phone realising Phoenix was no longer there. He attempted to dial his number again, but there was no answer. He quickly phoned Maya's cell, but there was no answer there either. His worry over the defense attorney was steadily increasing as he began piecing together the facts in his mind. It didn't take him long to work out that Maya was likely back in Kurain because she _had_ to be and Phoenix heading there in his current state could end up being a huge problem.

Picking up his phone again, Gumshoe dialled the only person he could think of that might be able to help. He sighed, wondering how on earth this had all ended up going so badly as the recipient of the call picked up the other end of the line.

"Hello, Edgeworth speaking."

"Err, Hi Mr Edgeworth," Gumshoe stammered. "It's Detective Gumshoe. I'm sorry to call you so late."

"What is it, detective?" Edgeworth asked formally.

"Um… you wouldn't have happened to have spoken to Mr Wright would you?"

Edgeworth frowned.

"No. He refuses to take my calls."

It wasn't for lack of trying. Edgeworth had been trying to phone Phoenix ever since news of Gavin's 'victory' had reached his office.

"Why?" Edgeworth added after a small pause. "Have you?"

"Uhh…" Gumshoe began cautiously. "Yeah. I have."

Edgeworth raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"And?" he inquired tersely.

"He's not in a good way, Sir. Not at all."

"Understandable." Edgeworth responded as Gumshoe went on to tell him what he knew about the trial, and about Phoenix's clients daughter who was currently staying with Maggey.

"I don't know whether it's right to give him the kid, you know?" Gumshoe frowned. "He didn't sound good. I think he'd been drinking a lot."

Edgeworth sighed.

"I wouldn't worry about that detective. The wound is still fresh and Wright would be simply trying to dull the pain. You and I both know that Miss Fey will not allow him to remain in that state for long."

"But that's just it," Gumshoe groaned. "Maya isn't there. He kept saying that she was gone."

"Oh dear…" Edgeworth remarked worriedly. Maya was the one lifeline that he was certain would keep Phoenix from drowning in the depths of his depression.

"I think she might have gone back to Kurain. But he wouldn't say why." Gumshoe explained. "But then I might have said something kinda bad…" he added meekly.

"What did you do…?" Edgeworth questioned, slight irritation seeping into his voice.

"Well… I might have put the idea in his head that he should go get her." Gumshoe muttered quickly. "But I didn't realise that she was probably there because she has to be and I didn't think he would try and go right away and-"

"Wait, he went right away?" Edgeworth demanded, losing his usual composure.

"Yeah." Gumshoe said sheepishly. "I tried calling him back, but I think he dropped his phone on the way out."

Edgeworth sighed heavily.

"Don't worry about it, detective. I'll take it from here."

Gumshoe paused, not quite sure how to convey how sorry he was for contributing to the whole mess.

"Thanks Mr Edgeworth. I hope Mr Wright is alright. Let us know okay?" he asked sadly. As clueless as he was sometimes, Dick Gumshoe's heart really was in the right place. Edgeworth quickly acknowledged his request before hanging up the phone.

He strode across his apartment, picking up the remote for the projector screen and switching it off. With a whirr the screen retracted into the ceiling.

"Come now, Kay. Let's go."

His assistant clambered to her knees on the couch, leaning over the back with a pout.

"Are you kidding me? The Jammin' Ninja Movie Part II: Jammin' Down The House is just about to start."

Edgeworth crossed his arms over his chest, raising an eyebrow at her. She glared at him a moment longer before admitting defeat and mumbling something he couldn't quite hear while she pulled on her boots. Once Kay had discovered on Maya's birthday that Edgeworth had a 120" projector screen instead of a TV, she'd been taking it upon herself to arrange 'movie night' whenever something she liked happened to be on television.

Edgeworth wondered if this was the kind of thing Wright had to put up with from Maya. Although, judging from what he had seen of them out on the balcony during Maya's party, it could be easily assumed that the pair spent their evenings doing other things besides watching movies.

Kay's constant presence didn't bother him too much. She was relatively low maintenance, and at least when she was with him he knew that she wasn't out getting herself arrested for being the Yatagarasu.

"Where are we going anyway?" Kay questioned as they headed towards the door.

"We're going to make sure that Wright doesn't get himself into any more trouble."

* * *

The station conductor eyed Phoenix warily as he stumbled off the train. Gathering some composure, he managed to exit the station without incident. He'd even been able to conceal his wine bottle beneath his jacket for the entirety of the trip.

Leaving the lights of the train station behind, Phoenix headed up the road that led to Kurain. It was usually only a ten minute walk, but at his pace it would more likely take him closer to twenty.

He struggled with the incline as the dirt road headed up the mountainside, tripping and dropping the bottle he had been holding. He managed to escape any injury himself, but the bottle smashed when it hit the ground, the remaining liquid seeping into the dirt. He barely even noticed that he had reached the village gates, blinking tiredly when he registered the wrought iron monstrosity before him. Those gates had never been locked before, but they were tonight.

Picking up the neck of the smashed bottle which was somehow still intact, he hurled it at the gates in anger. It shattered with a loud clang. He sank to his knees, Maya's name leaving his lips in an anguished cry.

* * *

"_MAYA!"_

Iris froze, ducking back behind the trees when she heard a man's voice yelling up ahead. She began to panic. No one was supposed to see her. No one was supposed to know she was here. She was supposed to get in quickly, and then back out again without anyone knowing. If someone caught her out here away from Hazakurain she would likely end up back in prison. Whoever that was up ahead had really made things difficult now that people in the village would be waking up due to the noise.

She gasped when she saw a car heading up the road, its headlights illuminating her hiding spot. This was not going well. The driver brought the car to a halt a few metres from where she hid, the closure of the main gates making it impossible to drive up any further. She was thankful that they turned off the headlights before stepping out of the vehicle. A second person emerged from the passenger side.

Her eyes readjusting to the darkness, Iris breathed a sigh of relief when she recognised the owner of the car.

"Mr Edgeworth!" she whispered as loud as she could.

Edgeworth jumped slightly.

"Who's there?" he asked, peering into the scrub. A woman in a long black cloak stepped forward, pulling the hood back to reveal a pretty face that Edgeworth immediately recognised.

"Iris?" he asked, his voice hushed. He moved back towards the trees, obscuring them from sight. He motioned for Kay to follow. "What are you doing here? Aren't you violating some sort of parole?"

"Sister Bikini sent me to retrieve something important. Something to do with the murder case." Iris explained.

Edgeworth's brow furrowed. With everything that had been going on with Phoenix's trial the unsolved murder at Kurain had completely slipped his mind.

"What are you doing here?" Iris asked.

"You haven't seen Wright, have you?" Edgeworth asked quickly.

Iris appeared confused.

"Phoenix?" she frowned, before shaking her head. "No… I haven't."

She thought for a second, before realising the voice she had heard earlier had sounded a little like him, but she had never heard him yell like that before.

"But there was a man yelling up ahead just before you got here. I heard some glass break too."

"Great." Edgeworth said, his shoulders slumping tiredly. It appeared he was too late to stop Phoenix from making a scene.

"What's going on?" Iris asked.

"From what I can gather," Edgeworth began, "Something has happened to prevent Wright from seeing Maya. When we were here for her induction he was convinced that one of the elders was up to something. Perhaps she succeeded."

Iris nodded in recognition. It made sense combined with the information that Bikini had given her.

"You must be talking about Althea Fey. Sister Bikini sent me here to retrieve spirit boxes that she used to block both Lillian Fey and Mia Fey from being channelled."

Edgeworth frowned. This 'channelling' business was still quite confusing to him, but he understood that it had definite significance with anything involving the Fey family. Once again Wright had managed to find himself in a right mess.

"I don't understand why Phoenix is here though," Iris frowned. "Maya comes back to Kurain all the time. Why is today any different?"

Edgeworth sighed, rubbing his temples as he explained the events leading up to Phoenix's drunken excursion.

"Wright was framed for using forged evidence in a trial a couple of days ago. He will face a committee tomorrow that will likely strip him of his badge. Being separated from Maya couldn't have come at a worse time."

Iris brought a hand to her mouth in shock.

"Oh my goodness!" she cried, her face falling. "Poor Phoenix…"

"I'm not sure if you are aware, but there have been... developments... between Wright and Miss Fey."

Iris's small nod was evidence enough that she already knew all about what Edgeworth was alluding to.

"I believe Wright is taking their parting rather badly," he continued. "Especially considering it appears her absence was not voluntary. I need to get up there before he endangers himself or someone else. He's rather intoxicated and clearly not of sound mind at the moment."

Iris followed Edgeworth's line of sight as he turned to peer up the road, towards the gates.

"Althea seems to be the common thread in both our problems," she stated sadly. "I need to get these boxes without getting discovered, or we'll never have any chance of stopping her."

A delicate frown creased her brow.

"If anyone finds me I'll end up back in prison again."

Edgeworth suddenly had an idea. Maybe Wright's appearance at Kurain could serve as a distraction of sorts, working in Iris's favour rather than against her. He glanced over at Kay who had been uncharacteristically quiet for the duration of his conversation with Iris. It was possible that she understood the weight of the situation.

"Kay, perhaps you can be of assistance to Iris." Edgeworth suggested.

Kay's eyes seemed to light up at the prospect of using her unique talents to help good people in need.

"Of course!" she quipped. "I am the great thief Yatagarasu after all!"

Iris glanced back and forth between Edgeworth and his assistant, clearly not understanding the exchange between the two.

"Alright then. Kay, you stay with Iris. Send me a text when you are in the clear with the boxes. You'll need to be fast. I'll phone you once I have managed to subdue Wright. I may need to escort him back to his office."

"Piece of cake." Kay said smugly, crossing her arms.

"Kay is welcome to return to Hazakurain with me," Iris offered. "At least that way you'll know where she is and that she's safe, Mr Edgeworth."

Edgeworth nodded, still somewhat surprised that a demon and an angel could wear the same face.

"And please... do whatever you can to help Phoenix," she added softly after a brief pause, her expression pained.

Edgeworth gave the woman's shoulder a light squeeze. If he remembered correctly, this woman had loved Wright at some stage in the past. Perhaps a part of her still did.

"Very well ladies, good luck," he said as he turned and headed up the hill towards the main gates. He hoped Phoenix hadn't got far.

Kay turned to Iris as they headed back through the bushes in order to find another way to gain access to the mountain village's vault, now that the main gates were not an option.

"So these boxes…" Kay began excitedly. "Would you say that we're _stealing the truth_?"

Iris frowned, slightly puzzled.

"Um, I guess you could. Yes."

Kay grinned. This was so much more fun than staying in watching the Jammin Ninja.

* * *

"You're trespassing."

Phoenix looked up, his eyes locking on to the woman that stood a few feet away, protected by the heavy iron gates.

"You…" he seethed.

Althea Fey stood primly before him, her expression one of smug satisfaction.

"You heartless witch." Phoenix spat. "You won't get away with this."

Althea laughed musically.

"I think you'll find that I already have," she replied simply.

Phoenix lunged at the gates.

"Tell me where she is! You can't keep her from me!" he shouted, shaking the gates. Althea was unmoved by his outburst.

"She's not here," she snapped. "And I most certainly can keep her from you, Mr Wright. We have seen the papers. We know what kind of man you are."

Phoenix slumped, resting his head against the cold iron.

"Please," he said pathetically. "I need her."

Althea scoffed.

"And you are the last thing she needs!"

She glared down at the sorry excuse for a man, clinging to the gates. How dare he even show his face?

"Her mother and her sister caused this village no end of shame."Althea fumed. "She does not need your shame also. Leave now, Mr Wright! Forget about Kurain and forget about Maya Fey!"

"Mr Nick!"

Pearl's frenzied cry caught Phoenix's attention immediately. He looked up to see the small girl running from the main house towards the gates.

"Pearls!" he cried in response.

Pearl's attempt to flee was halted by none other than Andre Fey. He picked her up as she kicked and screamed, carrying her back into the main house. Phoenix could still hear Pearl crying out his name long after she had disappeared from view. Rage bubbled to the surface as he lunged at the gates once more.

"What is she doing here?" Phoenix roared. "She is supposed to be in Hazakurain!"

Mystic Marion had conveyed Maya's request that Pearl be relocated to Hazakurain, but Althea had overruled it immediately. It wasn't like Maya could do anything to stop her.

"Maya Fey is not in charge here anymore." Althea said icily.

Phoenix felt a scream rise in his throat, but was shocked by a hand on his shoulder, causing him to fall silent. He turned to find Edgeworth standing behind him. He blinked a few times to make sure he wasn't imagining his prosecutor friend. Was he really that drunk?

"Come on now, Wright. We have to get you home," he said calmly.

Edgeworth decided he had stood back in the shadows long enough watching the old woman taunt Phoenix. As much as he wanted to stay hidden to allow Kay and Iris more time while Phoenix kept Althea distracted, the distraught man's control was slipping away. If he hadn't stepped in, things could have ended up getting very ugly.

Phoenix shrugged Edgeworth's hand away.

"No! You don't understand!" he cried. "She's keeping Maya from me! And Pearls! Pearls is still here! We can't leave her with a murderer!"

Edgeworth leaned close enough to Phoenix to whisper roughly in his ear.

"Quiet, Wright. Don't say something you'll regret later!"

Phoenix reluctantly quieted, recognising even in his inebriated state that he couldn't go telling Althea everything they knew.

"I'm sorry Ms Fey," Edgeworth said, bowing his head apologetically as he attempted to keep a hold of Phoenix. "Mr Wright has been under a great deal of stress. I am truly sorry for any trouble he has caused."

Althea nodded sternly.

"Please remove him from the premises." She stated firmly, turning to walk away.

"Ms Fey!" Edgeworth called. "Please, wait."

Althea turned back to face him, as Edgeworth clamoured for something to say that would keep her attention. He still hadn't received a text from Kay. He needed to come up with something that would buy them more time.

"What is it?" Althea asked impatiently. Edgeworth thought for a few moments, dragging his question out for as long as he could.

"May I enquire as to Miss Maya Fey's whereabouts?" he improvised. Althea raised an eyebrow, taking the bait.

"No, you may not." She answered rigidly. "The Master is away on official business and will be for some time."

"I see," Edgeworth said, glancing down at Phoenix who continued to glare at the elderly woman. "That's a terrible shame. I do think Mr Wright would benefit greatly from her presence in such a time of need."

Althea scowled.

"I have already informed Mr Wright that he has no further business with Maya Fey. If you are any type of friend to him at all, sir, I suggest you try and convince him the same. If he is seen anywhere near Kurain again, the authorities will be notified."

Edgeworth opened his mouth to speak again, but stopped short when his phone beeped in his pocket. Pulling out his cell, he read the quick text from Kay detailing that she and Iris were clear with the boxes. He smiled to himself. If anyone could pull off a lightning quick heist, it was Kay.

"Very well then Ms Fey, I am sorry to have bothered you." Edgeworth said, grabbing Phoenix by the back of the jacket and hauling him away from the gates.

Althea raised an eyebrow at his hasty exit, wondering why the young man appeared to have been stalling her. Even more suspicious was the fact that he left as soon as he received that message.

In a flash of panic, she realised there was only one reason that pesky lawyer and his friends would be trying to distract her. Turning away from the main gates, she quickly headed past the main house, not at all surprised when she found the lock on the vault door had been delicately tampered with. Slipping inside, the smell of smoke assaulted her nostrils. Someone had recently held a lit torch in here, yet to the best of her knowledge no one had been in the vault for days.

Anger swelled within her. How could she have fallen for such a deliberate ruse?

Striking a match, she pounded her fist on the table when she noticed two spirit boxes missing from their place on the wall.

There was only one person other than herself with the ability to remove those locks.

* * *

Mystic Jess rushed in to Hazakurain's main hall to answer the ringing phone, wondering who on earth would be calling at such a late hour. The oddly familiar voice on the other end asked politely to speak to Sister Bikini.

"Sister Bikini!" Jess called. "It's for you."

Bikini waddled into the main hall, taking the receiver that the young acolyte held out to her.

"Hello? Sister Bikini speaking," she chirped happily.

"Bikini…" the woman on the other end of the line laughed mockingly. "I always thought that was such a ridiculous name."

Sister Bikini swallowed hard, instantly recognising the voice of Althea Fey.

"I know that you're working with that lawyer, and I know that you took those spirit boxes." Althea remarked.

Bikini remained silent, causing Althea's temper to boil over.

"Have you forgotten what you did all those years ago? Do you really want all that to be dredged up again?" Althea spat.

"I have nothing to say to you." Bikini stated calmly, although in reality she felt anything but.

"Don't think I don't know what you're up to, Audrina." Althea snarled.

Unable to listen to any more, Bikini abruptly hung up the phone. She rushed out of the main hall, leaving a bewildered Mystic Jess in her wake.

* * *

**A/N: Man, writing that was exhausting! But finally, some more of the truth emerges! Sister Bikini is the mysterious Audrina Fey!**


	31. Free Spirits

**A/N: Thanks for all the reviews! You guys are really awesome. This chapter took me a few days longer than normal, but I am happy with it. I hope you all are too.**

**I don't own Ace Attorney. Although I'd love a pet Phoenix.

* * *

**

Phoenix slumped back on the couch, covering his eyes with his forearm. Edgeworth had insisted on switching on the lights when they had arrived back to the office which needless to say, Phoenix thought was a terrible idea.

"I think you need some coffee." Edgeworth stated, moving past the couch and heading towards the stairs. Phoenix merely grunted in reply. Glancing at the empty wine bottles littering Phoenix's desk as he passed, Edgeworth's distaste was evident.

"Jesus, Wright," he said, disgusted. "I'm all for a nice glass of wine every now and then, but I must emphasise the word _nice_. I don't know how you managed to drink that… swill."

Phoenix remained unmoving, still not ready to allow the harsh fluorescents to assault his eyes. He chuckled softly.

"We can't all afford the finer things in life, my friend," he mused lightly. That much was true, especially now. Edgeworth considered his response before nodding lightly and heading upstairs, leaving Phoenix in the office alone.

For the first time Phoenix began to think about things like rent and paying the electricity bill. How would he eat? He had some savings, but he knew they wouldn't last long. Without the comforting padding of an alcohol induced haze, the reality of his situation began to sink in. There was no more job. No more cases, no more clients, no more investigations. And perhaps worst of all, no more Maya.

Edgeworth returned after a few minutes with a pot of coffee and a mug for Phoenix, setting both down on the table. He took a seat on the single sofa to Phoenix's left, pouring the coffee and placing the mug in front of his weary friend. He laced his fingers together across his knees and cleared his throat.

Reluctantly, Phoenix removed his forearm from his eyes, immediately grimacing at the bright light. Squinting against the intrusion, he picked up the mug and took a sip. It was good. Could everyone make decent coffee except him?

"Aren't you having some?" Phoenix asked Edgeworth as he cradled the mug in his hands.

Edgeworth shook his head.

"I try not to consume any caffeine after dinnertime. I find it hinders my ability to get a good night's sleep."

Phoenix nodded lightly, remaining silent.

"However, in your case I think you'd benefit from the jolt right now. I believe I'd also be correct in assuming that no amount of caffeine would prevent you from sleeping when you finally do get to bed," Edgeworth added. "You haven't slept since before the trial, have you?"

Phoenix hesitantly shook his head, his eyes downcast.

"I didn't really sleep much the night before, either," he admitted.

Edgeworth leaned back in his chair, crossing his legs. Wright was now far too experienced in the courtroom to suffer from nerves on the night prior to a trial, so his lack of sleep most likely had something to do with his missing assistant. While he was not normally one to pry into matters such as this, he deduced that Phoenix would not have alluded to it if he did not wish to discuss it. Sometimes having learned to read people so well as a prosecutor had its advantages outside of the courtroom.

"What happened?" he inquired simply. He knew his nondescript question would provide Phoenix with an opening point to discuss whatever was troubling him most, be it Maya or the trial. If he hadn't gone into law, Edgeworth had no doubt that he would have made a fine psychologist. The human brain was not so much a mystery to him as it seemed to be to most people.

Phoenix sighed audibly, before taking another sip of his coffee. The warm liquid was helping the return of clarity, but he wasn't so sure that he welcomed it.

"Things were perfect. Just perfect," he began cryptically. "But Althea was always a step ahead. We didn't even see it coming."

Edgeworth's attentive silence willed Phoenix to explain further.

"You see, there's this law in Kurain. If the Master doesn't have a child by the time she accepts the position, then they have to send her off to an isolated place to contact their great ancestor. Apparently, doing so takes years."

Edgeworth frowned.

"And the point of such an exercise would be…?"

Phoenix shrugged, glad he wasn't the only one who saw the ridiculousness of the situation.

"According to what Maya told me, it proves that her spiritual power is worth valuing over her ability to produce an heir."

Edgeworth continued to frown, shaking his head.

"How positively archaic. Why would she agree to such a task?"

"Pearls is next in line for the title of Master of Kurain. If Maya refused, Pearl would have to either marry young and have children quickly or complete the channelling in her place and on top of that, Maya's refusal would mean banishment from Kurain. She'd never see Pearls again." Phoenix finished, sipping again at his coffee and setting the mug down on the table. "She really didn't have a choice,"

Edgeworth sat silent for a few moments, processing what Phoenix had told him.

"Such a primitive notion…" Edgeworth began. "Forcing these young women into early marriages to maintain a particular bloodline."

Phoenix nodded in agreement.

"So there was no attempt made by the council to forewarn Maya of such a law? No attempt to arrange a suitor in the past few years?" Edgeworth asked.

"Not at all." Phoenix replied. "This whole thing totally came out of left field."

Edgeworth narrowed his eyes.

"This strikes me as odd, Wright. Very odd. With all the lead up and preparation for Maya's induction, surely someone would have mentioned this."

"Maya said that everyone forgot the law because she is the first Master in three generations to not have a child when accepting the title," Phoenix shrugged.

"Seems like an important thing to forget." Edgeworth said, shaking his head.

Phoenix sighed, leaning back on the lounge and closing his eyes. Edgeworth may have had a point, but odd or not, it didn't change the fact that Maya was gone. Perhaps the old Phoenix would have seen this as an opportunity to fight, an opening to discover the truth. But he wasn't that man anymore. He was a fraud. A purveyor of false truths. Maya deserved better than him anyway.

Everything that had happened in the last three days had left him feeling tired. As if reading his thoughts, Edgeworth spoke again.

"You know that none of us believe that you used that evidence on purpose," he offered reassuringly.

"Doesn't matter." Phoenix said flatly. "The fact that I used it at all is what matters."

"In the eyes of the Bar Association, yes," Edgeworth admitted. "But not in the eyes of your friends."

Phoenix smiled glumly, genuinely appreciative of Edgeworth's efforts to cheer him up even though he could do little to comply.

"How did you even come to have that note in your possession?" Edgeworth asked finally.

Phoenix remembered clearly.

"The little girl…" he began, concentrating as he recalled the details. "The little girl gave it to me in the lobby just as court went into session. She said someone else gave it to her."

"I could be wrong, but I sincerely doubt that she had any ill intentions in doing so." Edgeworth considered.

Phoenix shrugged. He had no idea anymore. Everything had just happened so fast.

"Detective Gumshoe spoke to me about the girl earlier." Edgeworth said. "Since your client, well… disappeared, she is currently staying with Ms Byrde. But for some reason she is adamant that she is to stay with you."

Phoenix scoffed.

"Yeah. I'd definitely be a shoe in for father of the year."

"I don't know, Wright. You managed to care for Pearl Fey with some modicum of competence. Perhaps it would be in your best interest to take this young girl in. She may be of some value." Edgeworth suggested.

Phoenix frowned at his prosecutor friend. Surely he wasn't suggesting putting the girl in any danger.

"How so?"

"Well, Gumshoe relayed to me that she was a rather happy little thing. In very good spirits for someone whose father had recently disappeared into thin air. I believe the girl may know something," Edgeworth explained. "And if that is indeed true, she could quite possibly be in danger. Keeping her close to you could prove beneficial for the both of you."

Phoenix nodded thoughtfully. Edgeworth once again had a point.

"Provided you clean up your act," he finished, raising an eyebrow. "You can't provide sufficient care for a child with an alcohol dependency problem."

Phoenix groaned.

"Have you ever seen me drunk before today?" he complained. "Jeez Edgeworth, cut me some slack. This has been the worst week of my life. Surely I can drown my sorrows just once without being labelled an alcoholic."

Edgeworth seemed unaffected by his Phoenix's annoyed outburst.

"So long as you don't make a habit of it. Remember that there are far more constructive ways to deal with problems," he asserted.

"Such as?" Phoenix asked, still somewhat irritated.

"Solving them." Edgeworth stated seriously.

Satisfied that he had done all he could for his downtrodden friend, Edgeworth stood, straightening his jacket.

"You need to get some rest, Wright. You'll need time to shower and shave before your meeting with the Bar Association tomorrow."

Phoenix's head drooped. He had almost forgotten that tomorrow morning he would be stripped of his badge.

"It's not over yet." Edgeworth said, eyeing his friend with a small sigh. "Perhaps explaining the situation and pleading your case may facilitate some leniency. Your record is exemplary thus far, that has to count for something."

Phoenix nodded, although he seriously doubted what Edgeworth was suggesting.

Moving behind the couch, Edgeworth stopped to give Phoenix's shoulder a reassuring squeeze.

"I'll be in touch," he said quietly before heading out the door. Phoenix listened as it closed with a soft click, and Edgeworth's footsteps disappeared down the hall.

With a great deal of effort, he pulled himself to his feet and headed for the stairs, pausing to hit the lights. He trudged to his bedroom, stripping down to his boxers and crawling between the sheets.

The faint scent of Maya's hair still lingered on his pillows. He inhaled deeply.

"Sweet dreams, Maya. Wherever you are," he whispered softly as he closed his eyes.

* * *

Edgeworth held the phone to his ear as he sprinted down the stairs, waiting for Kay to answer. He hoped there was reception wherever she was.

"Hey!" she cried happily as she answered her cell. Edgeworth cringed lightly at her loud greeting. It had to be at least two in the morning. How on earth was this girl still so animated?

"Hello Kay," Edgeworth began at a more suitable volume. "I trust you and Iris made it back to Hazakurain without complication?"

"Oh yeah!" Kay said excitedly. "You should see this place! There's a great big temple and all this really cool old stuff everywhere. And everyone here is so nice. I'm going to need to take a souvenir I think."

"Please don't," Edgeworth said, recoiling slightly.

"Relax, boss," she said with a laugh. "I'm just kidding. How's Mr Wright?"

"Not good I'm afraid," he sighed. "But I expected as much."

"That's too bad," Kay said sadly. "Iris says he's a really great guy. Did you tell him we got the boxes?"

"No, I didn't." Edgeworth said. "He has enough to process right now, and he will learn soon enough. Tell me, are you still with Iris?"

"Uh huh." Kay confirmed. "Sister Bikini and some other girls are here too. They're trying to get these boxes open. Sister Bikini says it's going to take a few days. These locks are something, Mr Edgeworth. I can't even see them. Who'd have thought there was a lock that the great thief Yatagarasu couldn't pick?"

Edgeworth couldn't help but smile at her wide eyed enthusiasm. The mysticism that surrounded the Fey family made for a rather interesting first impression. Kay seemed positively captivated.

"Kay, could I ask you to pass on some details for me?" Edgeworth asked.

"Sure, go ahead." Kay replied.

"It's about Maya Fey," he started. "Could you ask Sister Bikini if she knows anything about Kurain law?"

He still couldn't shake the feeling that the Kurain Council's sudden reasoning for Maya's departure seemed somewhat contrived. He heard Kay's muffled voice in the background, asking Bikini as he had instructed.

"She says she knows a little, but not much. She said she hasn't been to Kurain in a long time."

Edgeworth frowned, mulling over Maya's predicament in his head.

"Never mind, I'll be there in a little while to pick you up. I'll speak with Sister Bikini when I arrive."

"Okay, cool." Kay chirped. "See you soon!"

Kay hung up the phone, slipping it back into her pocket.

"Mr Edgeworth is on his way. He'll be here soon. He said he had some stuff to ask Sister Bikini about the laws in Kurain," she said to Iris, who had been sitting beside her as she spoke on the phone.

The pair watched on as Bikini and the acolytes placed the spirit boxes in two circles of red candles. Kay had no idea how you could open a box without touching it, but then again she had never seen a box with an invisible lock before either.

"So this is going to take days, huh?" she asked Iris, who nodded in reply.

"Only Sister Bikini can initiate the removal of the locks because she is related to the person who locked them."

"Interesting." Kay said, nodding. "Won't she get tired though?"

"Yes." Iris explained. "That's what the other girls are here for. Once Sister Bikini starts the lock opening, anyone can finish it."

"Are you going to help too?" Kay asked.

Iris cast her eyes downward quickly.

"I'm afraid I don't have any spiritual powers," she admitted sadly. Kay frowned. She had only met Iris a few hours ago, but had decided in that short time that she really liked the girl. She was a good person who tried hard to help those she cared about.

"Aw, that doesn't matter." Kay said with a grin. "If it wasn't for you, the boxes wouldn't even be here, would they?"

Kay grinned wider, nudging Iris who looked up at her, surprised.

Iris felt a swell of pride as she realised Kay was pointing out to her that whether she had spiritual powers or not she most definitely an important part of what was going on.

"I… I guess not." Iris said, smiling.

* * *

Althea Fey slammed the folder she had been carrying down on the table. She clutched at the edge of the desk with both hands, leaning forward slightly as she closed her eyes and took deep breaths.

It had been three days since Phoenix Wright had appeared at Kurain's gates, drunk and disorderly, and although she had not heard from him again, this morning his detective friend had been back in the village asking questions.

She herself had managed to evade him, but had heard from various other sources that the questions he had been asking pertained to Lillian Fey and the day of her death. This was not good. The police had denied her request that no autopsy be performed and of course had found traces of the poison Andre had used to kill her in her bloodstream, even though Morgan has assured him that it couldn't be traced.

She squinted her eyes closed as a dull ache began forming at her temples. This problem needed to go away, right now.

Lost in her thoughts, she hadn't heard Andre enter the room behind her.

"The detective has finally left," he stated emotionlessly. Jarred from her thoughts, she turned to face him, scowling.

"He wouldn't be here at all if your mother wasn't so careless."

Andre shrugged impassively. Althea wondered how he could remain so calm when there was every chance that his involvement in Lillian's death would be discovered.

"It seems she isn't the only careless one around here."

Althea snapped her eyes upward to meet his icy blue ones.

"What are you talking about?"

Andre shook his head.

"Mia and Lillian's Spirit Boxes. They're gone," he stated.

Althea froze in shock. There was no way he could know that.

"How do you know that? They are in the vault and I possess the only key."

"Drop the act." Andre said coldly. "The lock on the door is broken. I saw with my own eyes that they aren't in there. And given that the lock is broken, I can only assume that they were stolen."

Althea raised her chin haughtily.

"They won't get them open," she seethed.

"But what if they do?" Andre countered, raising his voice. "Am I to die because you're too lazy to cover your tracks?"

Althea glared up at the boy, affronted by his new attitude.

"Your insolence is not appreciated, nor will it be tolerated, Andre Fey!" Althea snarled.

Her attempt at authority had no effect on the young man before her. He shook his head in distaste.

"The biggest mistake I made was listening to either of you. Neither of you know what you're doing. All these intricate plans with so many ways to fail! You know, there's a very simple way to get rid of someone you don't want around!"

Althea gasped. Was he suggesting they should have just killed Maya? Dealing calmly with Morgan's arrangement of Lillian's death had been difficult enough, but did this boy really think that murder was the only way to get things done? Was he that much like his mother? Where would the trail of blood end?

"If I had done all of this myself from the beginning I can assure you there would be no problems, but no. I allowed you and mother to lead me. To manipulate me. Now I have to go clean up your mess!" Andre continued to rant.

"You and mother… you just aren't clever enough to pull this off without getting caught," he finished, shaking his head. "But I am."

The snarl on Andre's face was nothing short of horrifying as he turned and left the room. Althea clutched at her chest, once again needing deep breaths to calm herself.

Andre was a sociopath. One that she had helped create. Fear for her own life began to rise within her. If Andre could take life so emotionlessly, what was stopping him from killing her? From killing anyone?

She slumped in her chair, for the first time really thinking about everything that had happened. The truth had been there, plain to see for a long time, but she just hadn't wanted to see it.

Misty Fey's bloodline had never truly been the problem in Kurain.

It had always been Morgan's.

* * *

Mystic Jess sat in her meditative stance before the boxes, concentrating as she projected her spiritual energy forward to open them. It had been three long days since they had begun and there was no real way of knowing how much longer it would take. It could be another three days, or it could be three minutes.

Although she didn't know exactly why, she knew that it was important that these boxes be opened. It was very rare that any spirits were sealed in Kurain, but if Sister Bikini believed they should be free then she would do everything she could to help. Hazakurain was home to her now, and Sister Bikini like a mother.

Settling into a deep concentration once more, Jess was startled as the candle flames surrounding the boxes roared upwards, changing from yellow to red and then extinguishing completely. Before her eyes, the boxes opened. The small pieces of paper within disintegrated into dust.

"Sister Bikini!" Jess yelled, scrambling to her feet. "Sister Bikini! They're open!"

* * *

Phoenix scratched lightly at the stubble on his chin, pondering whether or not he should shave. It had been three days since the Bar Association had stripped him of his badge and he had yet to figure out what his next move would be. His days had been spent moping, sleeping, watching soap operas on TV and eating instant ramen.

Deep down he knew he couldn't do this forever, but for now he felt he needed to wallow in his own self pity. People had phoned, and Edgeworth had even been by to check on him but apart from that there was no one to help pull him from his misery. He missed Maya terribly. He wondered how people could say that it got easier with time. Each day without her felt significantly worse.

He picked up his phone, pulling up the photo he had taken of her at the train station for what was probably the thousandth time. He smiled, touching the screen gently. At least he still had his memories of her.

A harsh knocking at the door caused Phoenix to jump. Swearing under his breath, he placed his phone back on the table and headed to open it, silently vowing that if it was another reporter he was going to give them something to report about.

As he swung the door open, Phoenix's breath caught in his throat.

The tall woman standing before him wore a knee length black coat and stood with her arms crossed over her chest. Her long brown hair fell straight to her waist. Eyes the same colour as Maya's regarded him impatiently. He could barely speak. How was this possible? He never thought he would see her again.

"Ch- Chief?" he finally stammered.

"Are you going to stand there and gawk at me Phoenix, or are you going to let me in?" Mia asked, grinning and raising an eyebrow.

Phoenix stepped back, his expression still stunned.

"How? The spirit boxes… Althea?" he stuttered as Mia made her way inside.

"Sister Bikini undid the locks. And here I am," she said dismissively as if it were the simplest thing in the world.

Mia looked around, surveying the state of the room. She placed her hands on her hips with an overstated sigh.

"Good lord, Phoenix. Look at this place. It's no wonder you don't have a case right now. A client would walk in, turn around and walk back out again," she said with a laugh.

Phoenix frowned, his questions about the spirit boxes dying before they left his lips. Mia glanced over at him, obviously expecting some sort of witty response. Her face fell when she realised she had struck some sort of nerve.

"What is it?" she asked, eying him cautiously. He shuffled on his feet, clearing his throat before speaking.

"I lost my badge, Mia," he said simply, his voice heavy with emotion. "I'm not a lawyer anymore.

The silence was heavy in the air as Mia registered what Phoenix had said, disbelief and shock washing over her like a wave.

"What?" she exclaimed. They hadn't told her anything like that before she left Hazakurain.

Phoenix said nothing. His gaze remained on the floor by her feet. Mia frowned sadly, her heart aching for her former apprentice.

"I'm so sorry, Phoenix," she said shaking her head, her tone still full of disbelief. "They didn't tell me. I can't believe it. When? Why? What happened?"

Mia moved to the couch, patting the spot beside her as she sat down. Phoenix shuffled over and sat next to her. For what felt like the millionth time, he relayed the story of the murder case and the forged diary page that had proved to be his undoing. Mia listened intently, her heart breaking more and more with every word.

"Oh Phoenix," Mia said, slipping her arm around his shoulder. "Don't beat yourself up about this. You were set up. Any of us would have made the same mistake."

Phoenix leaned against her shoulder, grateful that she understood. He had honestly thought she would be disappointed with him. He had underestimated her empathy.

"You wouldn't have," he sniffed.

"I totally would have," Mia admitted. "In our line of work, when you have evidence you use it. Most of the time, there's no way of knowing if it's forged or not. You just gotta throw it out there and go with your gut."

"And a lot of good that did me." Phoenix sighed.

Mia gave his shoulder a pat.

"Everything happens for a reason Phoenix. You'll get to the bottom of this. And when that day comes, you'll know exactly why it all happened. I really, truly believe that."

"Thanks Chief."

"Does Maya know?" Mia asked after a brief silence.

Phoenix shook his head.

"She left that morning. She wasn't in court with me that day."

Mia sighed. The hurt in Phoenix's voice was all too apparent.

"I guess you know that the elders sent her away." he added quietly.

"I do." Mia said with a nod. "But I also have something to tell you about that."

Phoenix looked up at Mia, his expression serious.

Mia smiled at him.

"But with all this melancholy you've got going on, are you sure you're ready for some good news?"

Phoenix's face lit up. He eyed Mia expectantly.

"Go on…" he urged.

"Althea lied. That law about marriage and kids… it was abolished years ago. There's a book on Kurain laws in the vault. It was one of the first books I read when my mother left and I decided I wanted to pursue law as a career. Lillian knows all about it too – she was the record keeper in Kurain. She was the one that showed me the book."

Phoenix was taken aback. Questions rushed through his mind at a frantic pace. He struggled to pick one out.

"Then how… how did Althea convince the council that Maya had to do it?"

Mia shook her head.

"I don't know, Phoenix," she said with a small shrug. "But you realise what that means, right?"

Phoenix nodded as the realisation set in.

"We can go get her, right?"

"Right." Mia nodded.

Phoenix threw his arms around her shoulders, enveloping his mentor in a fierce hug.

"Careful!" Mia warned with a chuckle. "This body is only rented. Don't squeeze her to death."

"Thank you Mia." Phoenix mumbled into her shoulder, relief flooding through him. "Thank you so much."

Mia patted his back.

"You're welcome, Phoenix," she said softly.

He hugged her for a while longer before she felt him tense up slightly in her arms. Mia frowned, wondering what was wrong with him.

"I'm really in love with your sister, Mia. I just want you to know. I love her more than anything." he blurted out quickly, pulling away from her.

He eyed her carefully, wondering what her reaction would be to his blunt admission. He wanted her to know he was serious. This wasn't just some crush.

"I know that," she said finally, a small laugh escaping her lips. "I think I've known longer than you have. I already told you last time I was here that I approved."

Phoenix relaxed, his smile reaching his eyes for the first time since Mia had walked through the door. He remembered the note she had left him. He kept it in his wallet.

"Hurry and pack your things," she said, pointing in the direction of the stairs. "We have to get back to Hazakurain as quickly as possible."

Phoenix nodded quickly in understanding. He turned and bounded up the stairs, a renewed sense of purpose in his step.

* * *

Channelled by Jess, Lillian Fey sat across from Sister Bikini, her expression stricken.

"Oh my," she said sadly as Bikini finished relaying the true events surrounding her passing. "You are sure about this?"

Sister Bikini nodded solemnly.

"I wish I could tell you otherwise," Bikini said sadly. "I haven't seen you in so long. I wish it was under better circumstances."

"Hush, child." Lillian offered, patting her hand. "What's done is done. We can't change what has already transpired. We can only hope to prevent it happening again."

Lillian sat silent for a few moments, no doubt trying her best to understand what had happened to her. She had believed Andre Fey to be a good, trustworthy boy. It must have been a shock to learn that he had murdered her.

"Althea blocked my spirit from being channelled, you say?" Lillian asked, still piecing together things in her mind. "I don't understand why she would do that."

"Mia seems to think that she was protecting Andre, although at this stage we don't know why. None of this seems to make much sense." Bikini answered, fidgeting slightly.

"Mia is here?" Lillian inquired hopefully.

"Not right now," Bikini explained. "Mystic Eve has channelled her. I sent her to go and fetch Phoenix Wright. I believe he will be able to fill in the gaps in our knowledge of what is going on. He also has some questions of his own."

Lillian nodded, as Sister Bikini suddenly remembered what she had to ask her.

"Oh!" Bikini cried. "I almost forgot! I need to ask you about Master Maya."

"Oh no." Lillian frowned. "Please tell me that my little Maya is okay."

The devastation in Lillian's voice was all too apparent. She had all but raised Maya after her mother had left.

"She is fine," Bikini assured her. "But she has been sent away from the village until she is able to channel Ami Fey and prove her worth as Master."

Lillian looked puzzled.

"My dear, that law was removed over three generations ago. Mara Fey had it abolished."

Bikini sighed. Mia had said the same thing when she had been informed of Maya's whereabouts. Lillian's reaction had only confirmed the truth.

"That was what I was going to ask you about. A friend of Mr Wright's who helped us recover the spirit boxes thought it seemed odd that Maya knew nothing about such a condition. He believed I should question the validity of the law."

"And with good reason, it seems." Lillian nodded. "Do you think this might have something to do with why I was murdered?" she asked after a small pause.

Suddenly, pieces of the puzzle began to fit together in Bikini's mind. If Althea's plan had been to get rid of Maya, Lillian clearly stood in the way. But she couldn't believe she would be as callous as to have Andre kill the woman. It was believable that she would block Lillian from being channelled, but to go as far as to coordinate a murder plot? It was too much to take in. Was Althea really capable of such evil?

Bikini breathed heavily, tears stinging the corners of her eyes. The realisation hit her hard. She could no longer deny exactly what kind of woman Althea Fey was.

"I know…" Bikini began, choking back sobs. "I know that she changed after what happened here. I know she wasn't the same person when she left. But… but I didn't think she would be capable of murder."

Sister Bikini broke down, crying openly as Lillian gathered her up in her arms, rubbing her back in a soothing manner.

"There, there Audrina. You poor, poor little lamb. No ones mother should ever let them down as much as Althea has you."

* * *

**A/N: BOMBSHELL! Plenty more surprises to come, folks if you stick with me. I might be a while longer on the next two chapters. They are both set 25 years in the past in – you guessed it – Hazakurain. Since none of our main characters are present, I wanted to put them both up together. I know flashback chapters can be boring sometimes but these are very essential to the story. Hopefully the next chapter after that will be done quickly so we can get back to the present.**

**In my comments there have been a few mentions regarding Phoenix and the "grape juice" so I wanted to elaborate on my stance on the matter. When I was playing AJ (cringe cringe) I did get the feeling that they were alluding to the fact that Phoenix was drinking wine and simply not coming right out and saying it due to the family nature of the game. It seems plausible to me that someone who has been through as much as Phoenix has could quite possibly develop some sort of alcohol dependency. I also think it helped illustrate the depth to which he had fallen.**

**However – I do think that much like his "hobo" appearance, the "grape juice" thing was merely part of Phoenix's ruse. The way I interpreted it, he wanted people (especially Kristoph) to believe that he was a good for nothing drunkard. Such an appearance would dissuade Kristoph from thinking that Phoenix knew anything about what was going on. It was an act to keep himself and Trucy safe while he worked on the Mason System, as well as uncovering the truth about Kristoph framing him. Phoenix was far too sharp for me to believe he was fond of the drink, but I honestly think that it was part of his disguise.**

**But that's just my interpretation! Thanks for reading guys!**


	32. The History of Hazakurain Part 1

**A/N: I really thought I would struggle to write characters that weren't Phoenix and Maya, but I really loved writing this chapter! I hope it's not boring for you guys seeing as our main characters aren't around. Hopefully this chapter has laid down the important beginnings of Hazakurain as well as introduced all the people that will be there when things go bad (next chapter... eek). **

**Writing Misty and Sebastian made me so happy. What a glorious love story they must have had. I'd be tempted to write a Misty/Sebastian fic but they're so much like Maya & Phoenix that I fear it would be almost redundant. I hope you all enjoy the way I have fleshed out these characters. I've tried as best I could with timelines and I think everything fits in terms of dates.**

**I know I said I would put both parts up at once, but I'm still writing part two and I thought you all might enjoy part one to tide you over until the second part is finished. I'm juggling a few work projects right now so I don't have as much time as I'd like, but hopefully it won't be too much longer.**

* * *

Kurain Village  
February 1990

Misty Fey squinted at the papers in front of her, rubbing her temples. She wasn't sure what time it was, but it was obvious from the pitch black outside the window that it was late. The lamplight flickered erratically, casting shadows across the room. The power was out again and the thunderstorm continued to rage on outside, showing no signs of easing. She hoped it would be dry enough for the electricity to be restored in the morning.

While there was no denying that the work was hard, the job of Kurain Master felt both rewarding and right. Misty couldn't remember ever feeling so content. She had been lucky enough to inherit the leadership of Kurain at an enormously prosperous time. Her mother, Madeline Fey, had worked hard to make Kurain most profitable and while her passing at a mere forty six years of age had been untimely, she had left the village to her youngest daughter in the best financial shape it had ever been in.

Of course, there had been many whispers when Misty was named successor to the title and not Morgan, the eldest of Madeline's two girls. As instructed by her mother, Misty paid the gossip no heed. No one was to know that Morgan didn't carry the spiritual power passed down from mother to daughter in the Fey clan. This odd anomaly had to be kept under wraps for the sake of the reputation of the head family. Misty knew that there was a possibility that her own daughter, Mia, would inherit the same genetic anomaly, although there was no point in worrying about that yet.

Misty smiled as she thought about her precious baby daughter. Not only was she new to the position of Master of Kurain, she was new to the position of motherhood as well. And although she would never tell the elders, she knew which of the two was more important to her.

Mia was a joy. At only twelve weeks old, she had already captured the hearts of everyone in the village. Older women often remarked how lucky Misty was that Mia barely cried and was happy to be held by anyone. Everyone they met thought that Mia was the most beautiful baby they had ever seen. Misty couldn't help but agree, but she was more than likely a little biased.

With a soft sigh and a smile, Misty placed her pen down on the desk and stretched her arms above her head. She yawned quietly, moving to stand when the door to her office slid open slowly.

She smiled when she recognised her husband duck through the door, holding Mia in the crook of one arm and a bottle in the other hand. He closed the door softly behind him before turning to her and raising an eyebrow. She heard Mia's soft whimpers indicating that it was feeding time.

"Do you have any idea what time it is, dear wife?" Sebastian admonished, propping Mia up against his elbow and offering her the bottle he held.

Misty shook her head and shrugged, allowing a cheeky smile to ghost her lips. Sebastian chuckled lightly.

"Don't try looking cute, Misty. This is hardly a good example to set for Mia. It's 2 AM. Mia is up for her _2 AM feeding_," he emphasised, turning his attention to the baby in his arms. "That means Mommy is working too hard, doesn't it, princess?"

Misty huffed lightly, frowning and puffing her cheeks out at her husband. "Give me a break, Sebastian," she whined. "I was actually just about to come to bed."

"Sure you were," he mocked.

"Fine. Don't believe me," Misty pouted, standing and heading towards the pair. "Let me hold my daughter."

Sebastian handed the child to her mother and headed over to Misty's desk, sitting down and skimming the papers she had been reading.

"What are you working on?" he asked, turning a page absently. "Anything I can help with?"

Misty propped Mia up against her shoulder, stroking her back in order to burp her.

"Just financials," she said flatly. "But they look good."

Sebastian nodded in response. "Very good," he agreed, setting the pages down. "I always knew I would marry into money," he finished sweetly, batting his eyelashes for effect. Misty couldn't help but laugh.

"I wouldn't say that too loud," Misty joked. "You never know when the elder committee is listening."

Sebastian screwed up his nose. "I'm pretty sure those old bags couldn't possibly think any less of me."

Misty found herself giggling despite trying her hardest not to. Only Sebastian would to refer to the elders as "old bags". Joking aside, his firm non acceptance of their authority over her decisions had inspired her own courage to blossom, much to the collective chagrin of Kurain's elder council.

"Have you given any more thought to what you were thinking about Hazakurain?" Sebastian asked, recalling an earlier conversation with Misty about Kurain's abandoned branch village.

Misty frowned as she rocked Mia softly. "I have... it's a lot of work."

"I know," Sebastian said. "But the payoff will be worth it. I'm telling you. You can't just sit on all this money, Misty. If you invest it in something like Hazakurain, you'll be able to bring in more."

Misty sighed audibly. As usual, he was right.

"I know. But the place is so run down, the repairs alone..." she trailed off.

"Are worth it," Sebastian finished for her. "For starters, you wouldn't have to turn away bookings anymore."

Misty nodded, once again mulling over the prospect of restoring Hazakurain. It had been abandoned at the turn of the century when Kurain had hit a financial rough spot. Nearly one hundred years of neglect and decay was going to be costly to fix. But Sebastian had never led her astray before. Her smart attorney husband knew what he was talking about, more often than not.

"We should do it." Misty decided, nodding emphatically. "You're right. It makes sense on so many levels. I don't know why I'm hesitating. It's a good idea."

Sebastian gave her a look that said he knew he was always right, but Misty ignored the opportunity to laugh at his usual brand of cocky confidence and continued to make plans for Hazakurain.

"I can even send Morgan to lead the village. It might stop some of the whispers about why she isn't Master of Kurain."

Sebastian smiled broadly. He'd never made any effort to disguise the fact that Misty's older sister was not one of his favourite people.

"This plan just keeps getting better and better!" he grinned with enthusiasm.

"Sebastian!" Misty chided ineffectively, doing her best to stifle her laughter. "Don't be so terrible. She's family."

"I know," he said with a shrug as he stood from the chair, moving towards his wife and sleeping child. "And soon she'll be long distance family!"

Misty chuckled as Sebastian slipped an arm around her waist. He smiled as he peered down at their infant daughter.

"You really are terrible. Why did I marry you again?" Misty asked, smiling up at him.

"Because I'm handsome." Sebastian replied simply. Misty laughed and shook her head.

"Well it definitely wasn't your modesty."

Sebastian feigned a hurt expression. "Are you saying I'm not handsome? That can't be true! Look at this beautiful daughter we made!"

Misty laughed again, glancing downwards at the babe in question. She hoped that her father's emphatic declarations and her own chuckling wouldn't rouse Mia, but like the angel she was, she continued to sleep soundly.

She watched Mia sleep for a few moments longer, before becoming aware that her husband was watching her. He smiled, brushing her bangs aside and placing a quick kiss on her forehead. He then leant down, kissing little Mia's forehead in much the same fashion. Misty felt her heart swell. Sebastian was so enamoured with both her and their child. She couldn't have wished for a better husband.

"We should put her back to bed." Misty said quietly. Sebastian nodded in agreement.

"You too, Master Misty," he instructed, turning his wife around and facing her toward the door. He gave her backside a quick pat, prompting her to move out of the office and towards their quarters. She shuffled along compliantly, all of a sudden realising how tired she was.

"You know, you missed a great old Samurai movie before the power went out," Sebastian said absently. Misty rolled her eyes.

"Ugh, you know I can't stand those movies," she groaned. "I don't know how you can watch them so incessantly."

"They're fantastic." Sebastian reasoned. "You just don't have any taste. One day you'll change your mind."

"Highly unlikely." Misty stated.

"That's okay." Sebastian said, peering over Misty's shoulder. "Mia will watch them with me when she's older, won't you, princess?"

* * *

Hazakurain  
March 1990

"This place is a dump."

Morgan Fey dropped her suitcase at her feet, crossing her arms and scowling. Althea Fey and her teenage daughter Audrina came to a stop beside her. The trio peered up at the main temple for a while before Audrina broke their silence.

"Don't be so negative Morgan," she said softly, staring up at the building in front of her. "This place is beautiful. It's so full of history. And the mountain views are just breathtaking."

Morgan narrowed her eyes at the girl, scoffing under her breath. Audrina didn't appear to take any notice.

"That's Master Morgan to you," she snapped. "And it's freezing. Take my things inside and begin building a fire."

Without another word Morgan stormed off, heading into the building. With a sigh, Althea Fey picked up the suitcase that Morgan had dropped at her feet, motioning for her daughter to follow her inside. Audrina seemed unaffected by Morgan's contempt, a fact which Althea knew would no doubt anger the newly appointed Master of Hazakurain even further. She would have to keep her daughter as far away from Morgan as possible.

Althea watched as around them the rest of the acolytes that had been relocated from Kurain chattered excitedly. Some carried boxes and suitcases, while others wielded brooms or washed windows. The atmosphere was abuzz with excitement and positivity, even if Morgan didn't share their enthusiasm. This was their new home, and a fine home it would be.

"Come, Audrina. There is much to do," Althea instructed.

Audrina tore her gaze from the structure before her, offering her mother a bright smile before following her indoors.

"And do try not to agitate Master Morgan." Althea added, eliciting a soft chuckle from her daughter.

Hazakurain was going to be eventful to say the least.

* * *

Hazakurain  
November 1990

"Hello? Is anybody here?"

The dark haired woman clutched tightly at her oversized shawl, pulling it around both herself and the small boy settled on her hip. She knocked on the massive wooden door again, hoping desperately that someone could hear her over the howling winds of the impending blizzard.

"Please, anyone? We are so cold!" she cried, her knuckles reddening from rapping at the rough wood. The little boy huddled as close to his mother as he could, his teeth chattering from the chill in the air.

Finally, the door creaked open, revealing a beautiful blond woman in strange robes. The firelight from inside created the illusion of a golden halo around her head, and the little boy stared up at her in awe. She looked like an angel.

"Please," the woman repeated. "My son. My son and I are so cold. Please."

"My goodness!" the blond woman exclaimed. "Come in, come in! We must get you warm. You shouldn't be outside in this weather. Follow me. Come, come."

The woman followed, setting her son on his feet so that he could walk on his own. The blond woman led them to a kitchen where she sat them at a small table, disappearing for a few moments, only to return with two steaming bowls of what smelled like a delicious beef broth. She set the bowls down in front of the weary travellers, seating herself across from them. The young boy tucked into his meal quickly, while his mother simply smiled at their rescuer, relief and gratitude evident in her sad brown eyes.

"Eat, eat," the angel urged, smiling back at the young mother. She nodded and took a mouthful. It was warm and delicious.

"My name is Audrina, by the way," the blond woman introduced herself with a soft smile. "And this glorious haven you have stumbled upon is Hazakurain."

"I'm Diego!" the boy chirped happily between mouthfuls of soup. He smiled up Audrina who found herself chuckling softly at his eager personality. "Are you an angel?" he asked innocently.

Audrina grinned at the boy.

"No, I'm not an angel," she responded. He seemed disappointed in her answer, frowning lightly as he considered the possibility that she was perhaps not some form of celestial being.

"Nonsense," his mother said gently, her light Spanish accent somehow giving the statement more weight. She nodded knowingly at Audrina. "To me and my son, you are an angel. I cannot tell you how grateful I am for your kindness."

"It's nothing, really." Audrina said compassionately. "I could never leave anyone out in the cold."

"There are not many people in this world as generous as you, Angel," the woman reasoned. Audrina smiled, accepting the woman's words and the new nickname she had apparently been bestowed with.

"My name is Luciana Armando. My son, Diego has already introduced himself. He is..." she paused, looking down at her young son, a smile spreading across her lips. "He is not one for shyness."

"Well it's a pleasure to meet you both," Audrina smiled. She turned her attention to Diego who was finishing up the last of his soup.

"That's a healthy appetite you have there Diego," Audrina commented. "You're going to grow up to be big and strong."

"Yep." Diego agreed with a nod.

"And how old are you, little guy?"

"I'm four," Diego answered happily, holding up as many fingers. The gesture appeared to be practiced. "How old are you?"

"Diego," his mother chided. "It's not nice to ask a lady what her age is."

Diego frowned, clearly not understanding why. Audrina laughed lightly.

"It's okay, Ms Armando." Audrina reassured her. "I'm not offended at all."

"Please," Luciana said gently. "Call me Lucy. And my boy must remember his manners."

Audrina nodded in recognition before turning back to Diego.

"I'll tell you what, Diego. I am exactly five times as old as you are," she grinned. The boy's brow furrowed as he tried to understand what she had told him.

"But Miss Angel, I can't count good yet," he reasoned.

"Well then," Audrina said with a small smile. "You'll learn how old I am once you learn how to count, won't you? You'll just have to practice."

Diego considered her offer before nodding resolutely, the action looking oddly serious for a four year old. Audrina could tell that Diego was a smart boy, who had no doubt been 'taking care' of his mother as much as he could.

"Okay," he agreed. "But will you help me, Miss Angel?"

"Sure," Audrina nodded. "I'm not letting you or your Mom outside in this storm and it's supposed to last a few days. I'm sure that's more than enough time to teach a smart boy like you how to count, right?"

Diego grinned.

"Right!" he exclaimed, his little voice filled with excitement.

Audrina stood, clearing away their empty bowls before heading towards the door that led to the main hall. With a smile, she motioned for them to follow.

"C'mon," she said. "I'll show you where the guest quarters are."

Diego leapt happily from his seat, while Luciana hesitated. She fiddled absently with the gold chain she wore around her neck.

"Are you sure we are not causing any trouble, Angel? I would not want to be a burden," Luciana frowned. Audrina shook her head.

"Don't be silly!" she reassured the woman. "We have plenty of room."

"Come on, Mom!" Diego called. "Miss Angel says it's okay."

"Very well," Luciana agreed. "But only until the storm passes. Then we must leave."

Audrina led the pair down a winding corridor until they reached a series of rooms lined up along a beautiful lamplit walkway to the right of the main hall. The wind had died down for a spell, but with the blizzard they knew was approaching it wouldn't be long before it returned at full force. Audrina slid one of the doors open, placing the lantern she had bought with her on the small table inside.

"It's not much, but it's warm and dry. Plus there's running hot water in the bathroom if you wish to shower or bathe," Audrina offered. Luciana frowned lightly at the young woman's undervalued appraisal of the room they had been given.

"It's wonderful," Luciana smiled. Diego had already begun running laps around the room, excitedly opening every door and checking ever corner.

"The room is yours as long as you like," Audrina said.

"Cool!" Diego cried from across the room. "Mom, I want to stay here forever!"

"Diego," Luciana chided, before muttering something to the boy in Spanish, emphasising her statement with the word 'manners' in English as she finished.

Audrina got the distinct impression that the pair were running from something , or someone and had been for some time. She hated to think of the kind of places this woman and her son had stayed in and the conditions they had endured.

"Lucy," Audrina began, placing her hand on the woman's shoulder. "Really, it's okay. As long as you want. Our Master isn't even spending her winter in Hazakurain. She thinks it's too cold. My mom is the one in charge around here and I'm certain she'll adore you both. You don't need to run anymore."

Luciana looked startled.

"How... how did you know?"

"You'd need a pretty good reason to be out in weather like this," Audrina shrugged. "I can tell that you wouldn't have Diego out in the cold unless it was totally necessary."

Luciana averted her eyes, looking down at her feet. Audrina was saddened by the pain and fear that she saw in the woman's expression.

"We meet a lot of troubled people here in Hazakurain," Audrina explained further. "It gets pretty easy to spot someone in need."

"Diego's father..." Luciana started, swallowing back tears and straightening her posture, clearly for the sake of her son. "Diego's father is involved with some bad people. They do bad things. I do not want my son to grow up around such things."

She didn't need to explain any further. Audrina took Luciana's hand, squeezing it lightly.

"You're safe here," she whispered. Luciana nodded gratefully, a lone tear escaping and falling across her cheek. Audrina let go of her hand and stepped back. Luciana was a proud woman, and Audrina did not want to give her the impression of pity.

"You said you meet a lot of troubled people," Luciana asked as she recomposed herself. "What is it that you do here?"

"We are spirit mediums," Audrina explained. "We channel the dead and help the living move on."

Audrina was surprised when Luciana merely nodded her acceptance. Most outsiders were sceptical and afraid of what the Fey women could do. Luciana didn't seem bothered at all.

"My grandmother," Luciana began. "She had the ESP. She used to help people too. They would come from all over to ask for her guidance."

Audrina smiled. It was nice that Luciana understood that what they did was primarily to help people.

"Sometimes, I know things," Luciana explained further. "But I have no control. I cannot call on my gift at will."

She turned, peering across the room at her young son, who had found the bathroom as was busily turning the water faucet on and off.

"Diego can read people's souls. He knows when he meets someone if they are good people or bad. He is never wrong."

"He is a smart boy," Audrina nodded.

"Sometimes too smart for his poor mother," Luciana chuckled. She sighed, for the first time since they had arrived she began to look relaxed. Audrina could see how tired she was.

"Well you and Diego get some rest. I'll stay in the room next door. If you need anything during the night, please come and wake me. Tomorrow I can give you a proper tour of the village and you can meet my mother."

"I would like that," Luciana smiled. "Thank you again, Angel."

"It's nothing." Audrina replied.

"Diego, say thank you," Luciana instructed.

"Thanks Miss Angel!" Diego called happily from the bathroom.

Audrina grinned at the boy before nodding at his mother. She turned, leaving the room and sliding the door closed. Muttering an old Kurain prayer under her breath for the two, she headed to the room next door to settle in for the night.

* * *

Hazakurain  
April 1993

"You're back early. I didn't expect to see you here," Misty said flatly. "Isn't it still a little cold in Hazakurain?"

Misty's heels clicked against the wooden floor in the main hall as she approached her older sister. Morgan's pregnancy was already visible despite the fact that she was only sixteen weeks along. Despite her best efforts to be civil, Misty found herself chuckling at the thought of Morgan's baby being larger than average. If anyone could do with a little hard work and pain it was Morgan.

"Someone has to do some work around here," she responded dryly, looking up from the candles she had been rearranging. "We can't all go gallivanting around the country. I have a village to run."

Misty scoffed. Morgan was clearly alluding to the social responsibilities that the Kurain Master's position demanded. It was well known in most political circles that Kurain still presided over Hazakurain and Misty was usually deemed representative enough for most engagements. Morgan's attendance was barely required, a fact which Misty knew Morgan regarded with great contempt.

"Surely you wouldn't want to be _gallivanting around_ in your condition anyway, dear sister." Misty said sweetly. Morgan failed to respond.

The physical distance between them over the past few years had done little to help their already troubled relationship. Morgan's jealousy of Misty's title was a constant hindrance to any sisterly closeness that the pair might have achieved, and Misty had long stopped trying to make friends with her bitter older sibling. The fact that Morgan was actually unable to perform Misty's duties seemingly mattered little to her.

Althea Fey knew of Morgan's lack of spiritual power and under Misty's instruction had carefully orchestrated Morgan's duties in Hazakurain so that no one would know the truth. Althea or Audrina often channelled spirits for clients in Morgan's place, donning a hood to cover their blond hair. As their features changed their appearance to that of the channelled spirit, no one was any the wiser. Audrina hated deceiving people, but she loved her mother and understood that what they were doing was also to protect Misty who risked losing her position as well if the main family was to be overthrown. Audrina and Misty had been childhood friends, growing up together in the village. The pair were only a year apart in age.

"So what brings the almighty Queen of Kurain down to the slums today?" Morgan asked dryly.

While it was true that Misty's visits to Hazakurain were few, she had been so busy with the handling of Kurain's affairs. She also knew that Althea Fey was running Hazakurain quite sufficiently, and her own assistance was in no way required.

"Audrina is taking care of Mia while Sebastian and I attend a function in the city," Misty explained. "As I said, I didn't expect you would be here."

Morgan waved her hand dismissively.

"It doesn't bother me that your daughter is here. It is of no consequence to me."

Misty felt herself scowling. Of course Morgan didn't care about Mia being there. Despite being Mia's aunt, she had never once held the child. Misty couldn't even remember the last time she had heard Morgan speak her daughter's name. It was obvious that Morgan resented Mia due to the fact that the little one was now the direct heir to Misty's position.

Relief flooded through Misty when her husband materialised beside her. She was so close to giving her sister a piece of her mind and her husband's calming presence couldn't have come at a more convenient time.

"Are you ready to go, Misty?" Sebastian asked.

Morgan glanced up at Sebastian, a predatory smile spreading across her lips.

"Hello Sebastian," she crooned.

"Morgan," he nodded stiffly.

"My, don't you look handsome," Morgan said appreciatively, eyeing Sebastian up and down. She had always found her sister's husband to be quite pleasing to the eye, but the effect was amplified when he wore a suit. She remembered that he had been a lawyer when he met Misty. It was no mystery at all to Morgan as to how Misty had wound up pregnant so quickly.

Sebastian raised an eyebrow impatiently at Morgan. He could sense his wife positively fuming beside him.

"It's been a pleasure, as always, Morgan, but Misty and I have no time to chat," he said firmly. "We must be on our way."

"Such a shame..." Morgan drawled.

Misty was beside herself. Her sister's blatant flirting with her husband was both inappropriate and repulsive. Morgan had a husband of her own, to whom she was pregnant. Although it seemed at this juncture, Daniel Hawthorne was the furthest thing from Morgan's mind.

"Goodbye, Morgan." Misty snapped, turning and walking briskly towards the doors of the temple. Sebastian shot Morgan a look of disdain before following after his wife.

Morgan chuckled to herself as she returned her attention to arranging the candles on the altar.

* * *

"Can you believe her! Oooh she makes me so mad!" Misty growled as Sebastian caught up to her.

She rushed down the front steps of the main temple, her heels slipping on the icy stone in her haste. Sebastian reached out to steady her before she fell. She turned to face him, flustered.

"I don't know why you let her get to you so much," Sebastian said, shaking his head. "You know she's in there laughing."

Misty frowned, clenching her fists at her sides.

"Why can't she see how much I've done for her? I've given all of this to her!"

"Some people will just never be happy and your sister is one of them," Sebastian shrugged in reply.

Misty's shoulders slumped. She rested her forehead against Sebastian's chest. He closed his arms around her shoulders, holding her against him.

"Let's not let this ruin our day, okay?" he offered soothingly. "It's not every day we get to be godparents."

Misty felt herself smile, despite her mood.

"Miles looks so adorable. I can't wait to meet him. Gregory and Elizabeth seem so thrilled," she said wistfully.

She was fully aware that the birth of Sebastian's friend's son had intensified her own maternal instincts. Mia was three years old now and she longed for another baby. Perhaps when Kurain wasn't so busy they could try for another.

"Well we shouldn't keep him waiting then," Sebastian said happily, offering his hand to his wife. He helped her down the remaining steps so she wouldn't slip again.

"Master Misty!"

Sebastian and Misty paused, looking in the direction of the woman who had called out to them. Misty smiled when she recognised the familiar face.

"Luciana," Misty smiled. "It's so good to see you. It's been so long."

Luciana nodded in greeting to both Misty and Sebastian.

"Master Misty, I heard you were here. I just wanted to come and thank you again for allowing me to stay here in Hazakurain. Never before have I felt so blessed."

"Lucy, every time I come here you thank me and every time I tell you that we should be thanking you for staying. Every client that comes here for a channelling speaks so highly of the cuisine that they keep coming back! I might go bankrupt if you were to leave me."

Luciana grinned, a light blush colouring her cheeks.

"You exaggerate, Master Misty, I'm sure."

"Just Misty is fine," Misty said with a smile. "There's no need for that kind of formality."

Misty was positive that she said the same thing to Luciana every time she visited Hazakurain, but Luciana still insisted on addressing her by her full title.

"How is Diego?" Misty inquired. Luciana's face appeared to light up at the mention of her son.

"He is such a smart boy!" she exclaimed with pride. "At school he gets all A's . I am so proud of him. We are both so thankful for the education you are providing him with. My boy will be a doctor some day, I just know it."

Misty smiled. Luciana did so much for Hazakurain. She cooked all the meals along with helping out with the cleaning. She greeted guests, made beds and helped out wherever she could. Footing the bill for a decent education for Diego was the least they could do to repay her.

"I hear law is good too..." Sebastian interjected with a grin. Luciana nodded.

"Whatever my son chooses to be, he will be the best."

"Isn't school out at the moment?" Misty asked.

"Yes, Diego is here." Luciana replied. "He is playing down at the swing set."

"That must be where Mia is too," Sebastian said. "We should go down and say goodbye to her before we go."

"I'm sorry Luciana, but we are a bit pressed for time. We will have to return soon for a proper catch up. I still have dreams about your magnificent roast chicken." Misty said.

"Of course, of course." Luciana said quickly. "It has been a pleasure to see you both again."

"Likewise," Sebastian agreed.

With a wave, Luciana headed away in the direction of the guest rooms, while Misty and Sebastian set out towards the swing set to say goodbye to their daughter.

* * *

Diego swung forward on the swing, crunching his heels against the ground to stop his momentum. Pulling himself back, he repeated the motion. He smiled as he looked out over the mountain ranges in his line of sight. He loved school a lot, but he loved the holidays when he could come home even more. He always missed his mom and Angel a whole lot.

Skidding to a stop, he became aware of a rustling in the bushes behind him. He turned his head, looking over his shoulder, but there was no one there. He watched for a few moments longer, before turning his attention forward once more. He prepared himself to swing upwards when the rustling noise reached his ears again. He turned, fixing his eyes on the spot he had heard the noise from moments before. The bushes moved and Diego frowned as he caught sight of what appeared to be a fluffy tail. Was it a cat?

"Rarrrr!"

Diego chuckled as a little girl jumped out from behind the bushes with her best roar. She paused as she landed, her little fingers curled up into menacing claws. She pouted, placing her hands on her hips when he didn't appear startled. She shifted from side to side on her feet, the fluffy tiger tail that was pinned to her jacket swaying behind her. Her tiger outfit was completed by a pair of fluffy ears on a headband covering her dark brown hair.

"Didn't I scare you?" she asked squeakily. Diego shook his head to signify no.

The little girl crossed her arms in front of her.

"But I'm a big scary tiger!" she whined.

"You're more like a little kitten." Diego said, smiling down at her.

"Am not." she said defiantly as she scrambled up on to the swing next to the one Diego occupied.

"What are you doing down here on your own anyway, did your parents come for a channelling or something?" Diego asked the girl, who stared at him blankly in response. He laughed to himself. The little girl was probably too young to even know what a channelling was.

"My mommy is the boss of here," the little girl said frankly. Diego suddenly realised who the girl was.

"You must be Princess Mia." Diego said. "I haven't seen you since you were much smaller."

"Only my daddy calls me Princess Mia." Mia said. It was more of an observation as opposed to an admonishment of Diego's use of the name.

"Well then, I will call you kitten." Diego said.

"No!" Mia cried. "Tiger! Rarrrr!"

Diego laughed as Mia tried her hardest to convince him that she was indeed a scary tiger.

"How old are you now, Mia?" he asked.

"Three," she answered quickly. "I'll be four before Santa comes again."

She leaned her weight back in the swing trying her hardest to get it to propel forward, but she was too small. She tried a few times before giving up and turning her attention back to Diego.

"What's your name? And how big are you?" she asked.

"My name is Diego, and I am exactly three times as old as you are. Minus two."

Mia stared at him, frowning lightly.

"You might be a little young for that one," Diego chuckled. "Do you want me to push you on the swing?"

Mia beamed.

"Yes please!"

Diego jumped off his swing and moved behind Mia, nudging her back gently so her swing lurched forward. The little girl grinned and cried out happily as the swing moved higher and higher.

"_Mia!"_

Diego turned at the sound of the voice calling out to the girl. Two adults were headed down the path and Diego could only assume that they were Mia's parents although he couldn't quite make out their faces clearly. He took a hold of the chain on the swing to slow its momentum. Mia frowned at his action.

"More!" she pouted.

"Your mom is calling you," he said as he helped her down from the swing seat.

"Okay," Mia sulked.

"C'mon now, kitten." Diego said, taking the small girl by the hand. "Let's go see what your mom wants."

"No!" Mia said as she trudged along behind him, his grip on her little hand forcing her to take more steps to keep up with his taller gait.

"I'm not a kitten, I'm a tiger! Rarrrrr!"

* * *

**A/N: I enjoyed writing that so SO much. **


	33. The History of Hazakurain Part 2

**A/N: Well it's finally done! I'm nervous and scared and hopeful that you all think it's good. I've been rewriting this one for ages. It's a really emotional chapter and I found some of it difficult to write. But after this we can get back to the present and some more Nick & Maya goodness. My backstory is (almost) done. I say almost because while these events are true, there is something I have deliberately left out. But that will be revealed later on.**

**In response to some of my reviewer questions:**

**Mia & Diego: Basically my thought is that while Mia didn't remember Diego or Hazakurain at all when they met as adults, he remembered her, but didn't let her know until later on.**

**Mia's Tiger Outfit: This is actually based on truth! My cousin has a small son – he's five now, but when he was three, he was obsessed with The Wiggles and Dorothy the Dinosaur. My cousin had bought him a clip on tail and a hat that looked like a dinosaur head and for a good three months Sean refused to go out anywhere unless my cousin let him wear the tail and hat. It was very cute and I wanted to give Mia that same kind of early independent streak. I just pictured Misty and Sebastian being in a rush and Mia being very adamant that she wanted to wear her tiger tail and ears. Sometimes it's easier just to give in and get the child out the door! Plus I thought it was a nice way to have Diego call her kitten so early on.**

**Also, I do see a lot of Miego in Misty & Sebastian as well. I'd like to think they are a nice balance of both Mia/Diego and Phoenix/Maya. **

* * *

Hazakurain

July 15th, 1993

"You could at least have the decency to pretend that you enjoy my company."

Morgan stared at her husband across the table, awaiting some form of response. He remained silent for a few moments before sighing in an irritated manner. He lowered the newspaper her had been reading, folding it and placing it on the table between them.

"You're the expert on pretending, Morgan. This whole marriage has been one great big lie."

Morgan winced at his barb. She supposed she deserved it but she knew that he was no angel either. They were far better matched he realised. She clutched lightly at her stomach as one of the babies kicked her quite hard. This kind of stress was clearly no good for her pregnancy.

"You can't sit across from me and act like you are without fault, Daniel," Morgan said daringly, her voice heavy with emotion. "Don't think I don't know about your maid, Valerie's nanny, the blonde clerk at your San Francisco store _and_ the woman in New York!"

Of all the terrible things her husband had said and done to her during their brief, yet tumultuous union, there was nothing that Morgan loathed more than the fact that Daniel Hawthorne was unfaithful. Knowing that he preferred the company of other women to her own left her with the same feeling of inferiority that she felt when she thought of Misty and Kurain. It had always stung knowing that she was second best, and her own mother had confirmed that in naming Misty as her successor. Morgan felt like she had been playing second fiddle to her younger sister for as long as she could remember. Now, it seemed that even in her marriage she was second best. Or was it third best? Fourth? Morgan had no idea how many mistresses Daniel had, but that didn't matter. Just one was far too many already.

Daniel seemed unaffected by her listing of his indiscretions, staring through her disinterestedly as if she had just rattled off something as mundane as a grocery list. He shrugged, shaking his head at her.

"You promised me power, Morgan. Political connections. You've given me nothing but problems."

Morgan sighed heavily as he continued. They replayed this same argument so much lately that it had started to sound like a broken record.

"I can't believe I fell for your act. It's your younger sister that wields all the power, not you," Daniel spat, his temper flaring. "Why should I abide by our marriage vows when you tricked me into marrying you in the first place? This whole marriage is a farce."

Morgan swallowed hard at his mention of Misty. Her _perfect_ sister Misty had everything she didn't. Misty had power, position and most of all, a husband that actually loved her.

She glanced up at her angry husband, ignoring the conversation for a moment just to look at him. Even with his current ill temperament, Daniel Hawthorne was still notably attractive. She had seen first hand the way that he turned heads with his expertly styled auburn hair and startling, icy blue eyes. He always dressed impeccably and seemed to radiate confidence and stature, but there was no denying that he still paled in comparison to Sebastian Parker. Morgan sighed as she wondered how Misty always seemed to get the best of everything.

"Daniel, please..." Morgan began, softening her stance. She hoped there was still some shred of a chance that she could save their marriage. Although, probably not for the right reasons.

"No," Daniel snapped, narrowing his eyes at his wife. "I don't want to hear it. You have nothing to offer me but more lies."

Morgan frowned, her hand moving to stroke her stomach absently. The movement had been involuntary, but Daniel had noticed. He stared down at her round belly with disdain.

"You couldn't even give me a son," he seethed.

His words struck Morgan with a ferocity that she wasn't quite prepared for. If there was one thing she was proud of, one thing that gave her hope, it was the possibility that the daughters she carried possessed the kind of power that she could only dream of. Within her womb were two real chances to overthrow her ungrateful, conceited younger sister. Morgan ground her teeth together and bit down on her tongue, until her anger was so great she couldn't hold in her response any longer. She looked up at him incredulously, her face contorting into a fierce snarl.

"How dare you belittle my precious daughters in any way!"

Her words doing little to abate the anger she felt rushing through her, Morgan picked up the glass of water on the table in front of her, hurling it towards her poor excuse for a husband. He ducked swiftly to the right and the projectile shattered against the wall behind him.

"You bitch..." he growled, standing abruptly. His rough movement caused his chair to clatter to the floor. He barely noticed as he stepped over it and moved around the table to where Morgan sat.

She cowered in her chair as he moved closer, anticipating what was coming. Pregnant or not, Daniel had never had any qualms about 'disciplining' her however he saw fit. She looked up at him, her eyes filled with fear as he dragged her roughly to her feet by the collar of her dress.

Daniel's eyes were wide and his breathing heavy as he surveyed his frightened wife. He gnashed his teeth together, his lips snarling into a sick looking smirk that almost made Morgan believe he got some kind of perverse pleasure out of dominating her physically. Terrified by his expression, she squeezed her eyes shut seconds before she felt his hand connect with her face in a fierce slap. She crumpled back down into her chair as he let go of her, tears escaping without warning as her pale skin darkened to an ugly red welt across her cheekbone. Relief flooded through her at the realisation that he was done, deeming a lone slap sufficient. There had been other times when she had not been so lucky.

"Don't you _ever_ do anything like that again, do you hear me?" Daniel threatened. Morgan stammered slightly and nodded, clutching her stomach as the babies started kicking again, clearly alarmed by their mothers emotional state.

Daniel Hawthorne had a violent temper, and this was not the first time that Morgan had been on the receiving end of one of his outbursts. It likely wouldn't be the last time either.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't just leave you, right now."

"Daniel, please. I'll fix this. I will." Morgan pleaded.

"There's nothing to fix!" Daniel cried. "I know you have no power, political or otherwise. I have nothing to gain by being with you."

"That's not true," Morgan whimpered pathetically. "I can channel someone for you. Anyone. I'll do it."

"Go on then," Daniel challenged, crossing his arms. "Channel someone for me right now. Do it."

Morgan sat silent for a moment, her eyes darting around over the floor around her feet.

"You know I need to meditate and prepare..." she started meekly.

Daniel cut her off with a scoff before moving back to his seat across from her, setting the chair upright and sitting down casually as if nothing had happened.

"What a load of garbage," he muttered as he picked up his newspaper again. The large pages obscured his pathetic wife from view. That suited him just fine.

Morgan touched her cheek gingerly before wiping away her tears with the back of her hand. There had to be a way to make him believe in her again. Her love for him faded a little more each time he hit her or cheated on her, but she couldn't stand the thought of being alone. Especially raising two newborn babies. Daniel had lots of money and a huge mansion and Morgan was not about to give up a life of privilege for herself and her daughters without a fight.

A soft knock at the door caused Morgan to straighten instantly in her chair. She wiped her eyes one last time and cleared her throat before instructing the person to enter.

The door opened slowly, and Luciana Armando entered with a large tray of breakfast balanced carefully over one arm. She closed the door behind her and carried the tray over to their table. Daniel put down his newspaper and watched her as she set out their meal. His entire demeanour changed from the moment Luciana entered the room, a fact which hadn't escaped Morgan's attention at all.

"I am so sorry to interrupt you, Master Morgan," Luciana said softly. "But you must eat for the babies. You need to be strong."

"Of course, of course." Daniel answered quickly, not giving Morgan a chance to voice her thanks. "Thank you, Luciana for being so thoughtful."

"It is nothing Mr Hawthorne," Luciana said dismissively, avoiding his eyes. "I am just doing my job."

"Please," Daniel said, smiling widely at Luciana. "I have told you to call me Daniel."

Luciana glanced warily at Morgan, whose impassive expression betrayed nothing of the inner turmoil she was feeling at her husband's blatant flirting with the help.

"Oh Mr Hawthorne," Luciana said nervously, "I couldn't. I must be polite."

"Nonsense," Daniel countered. "I insist."

Luciana nodded quickly, although she had no intention of addressing him so casually, especially in the presence of his wife. Noticing the shattered glass on the floor behind him, Luciana darted towards the mess. She was eternally thankful for the much needed distraction from the tense situation at the table.

"I will clean this up," Luciana muttered apprehensively to no one in particular.

"Thank you, Lucy." Daniel said, still smiling sweetly. "My dear wife seems to be getting a little clumsy in this late stage of her pregnancy."

Luciana frowned and nodded, glancing again at Morgan, this time noticing the dark area over her cheekbone.

"Master Morgan! Your face… are you okay? What has happened?"

"As I said, Lucy," Daniel cut in quickly "My wife has been quite clumsy lately."

He started pointedly at Morgan, who lowered her eyes.

"It's nothing Luciana," Morgan said softly. "I fell. That's all."

Luciana frowned again. Although she would never dream of eavesdropping, she had heard them arguing before she had entered with their breakfast. This was also not the first time that Morgan has suspicious marks visible on her person, dismissing their cause as that of a "fall". Deciding it best not to pry, she turned her back on the pair and began cleaning up the mess of shattered glass on the floor.

Daniel glanced over at Morgan to ensure she was watching him before very obviously ogling Luciana's backside as she leant down to clean up. Morgan's lip twitched and her heart pounded violently. Tears stung the corners of her eyes and threatened to fall, but she vowed right then and there that she would not cry in front of Daniel Hawthorne ever again. She bit down on her lip and tried her best to steel her expression, but Daniel could tell from his wife's small facial tics that his actions had hurt her, as intended.

Sensing the tension at the table rising further, Luciana rushed from the room with the broken glass cradled in her apron. Daniel smiled smugly at Morgan before picking up his paper again.

Dumbfounded at her husband's complete disregard for her feelings, Morgan sat in silence as she tried to comprehend exactly what had just taken place. She had long suspected Daniel of having an affair with Luciana, but he had never been so open about flaunting it in front of her before. And Luciana... she had clearly been uncomfortable. Morgan concluded that the source of Luciana's discomfort had to be guilt. Luciana must have rushed from the room because she was afraid that she and Daniel would be found out.

With her stomach in knots , Morgan stood and strode out of the room without another word to her husband. Her palms were sweating and her breathing was erratic and she could no longer fight the urge to throw up. How could he do this to her, under her own roof in Hazakurain? What if it wasn't just Luiciana? How many of those young acolytes were his playthings?

Although she knew everyone else would just attribute it to morning sickness, Morgan knew that the sick feeling in the pit of her stomach had nothing to do with the babies she carried.

* * *

Shuffling towards her office, Morgan paused in the hallway. She braced her hand against her lower back, stretching her shoulders back slightly. The twins had been kicking quite violently today, no doubt as a result of her altercation with Daniel earlier that morning. She was well over six months pregnant now and simple things like getting out of chair or walking across the bridge to the inner temple were becoming increasingly difficult. Adding undue stress to her life only made the little things harder.

Daniel's infidelity and aggressive behaviour had become much more frequent over the last few months and he had seemed to lose interest in their twins as soon as he had found out that Morgan had been carrying girls. His discovery of the fact that Audrina had been "covering" her channelling appointments in her place had only added fuel to the fire and he didn't seem to buy her excuse that it was dangerous for her to channel anyone while pregnant.

Morgan hated her husband as much as she loved him, a fact which left her feeling overwhelmed and emotionally unstable. But getting divorced and living out the rest of her life in her ridiculous fake position of leadership that her sister had concocted to keep her quiet and out of the way in Hazakurain was just not an option. But she could not ignore the other women in his life. The emotional toll his affairs took on her was far too heavy. As much as she hated to face the fact, the truth was the charming man she had met and married was long gone, leaving a cruel, heartless monster in his place. Although Daniel liked to complain that he had fallen for Morgan's ruse of power within Kurain's ranks, she had fallen for his lies as well. She had believed he had loved her, but she now wondered if that was ever true. Her husband was an abusive womaniser who didn't want the children she carried.

Her mind began racing, as horrible thoughts about Daniel and Luciana's affair filled her with frustration and sadness. How could Daniel want Luciana more than her? Morgan wondered if she was really that repugnant. Why wasn't she ever good enough for anyone?

It was all just too much. She moved through the door to her office, shutting the door behind her and leaning her back against the heavy wood. She closed her eyes shut tight, holding back tears.

Wrong and right, good and bad, reality and imagination... all began to mix together in a dangerous jumble as Morgan Fey's mind was clouded with emotion and pain. She clutched at her hair, choking back sobs as her tears finally made their escape. Her hands shook as she balled them into fists at her sides.

She shook her head as she turned and walked towards her desk, muttering to herself as a twisted plan to turn everything in her favour began forming in her mind.

"Gotta fix. Gotta fix everything. Gotta fix everyone. Fix this."

* * *

With her composure regained, and her cheating husband napping in the wing adjacent thanks to a few sleeping pills, Morgan strode purposefully back towards her office, a basket of supplies in hand. She spied an acolyte heading towards her and stopped the young woman as she passed by.

"Mystic... er...?"

"Amelia," the girl offered politely.

"Ahh, yes." Morgan bluffed with a carefully practiced smile. "Would you be a dear, Mystic Amelia, and fetch Luciana Armando for me?"

"Of course, Master Morgan," the girl nodded.

"I'll be in my office. Thank you." Morgan finished, her politeness uncharacteristic. Had the girl known her better, her humble courtesy would have raised significant alarm bells.

Morgan entered her office, placing the basket she had been carrying on her desk. She positioned herself by the window exactly as she had planned and waited for Luciana. Although it was only a few minutes before she arrived, it felt like an eternity as Morgan went over the plan again and again in her mind, each time convincing herself a little more that what she was about to do was totally justified.

Sacrifices were necessary.

Luciana entered the office, surprised to find Morgan standing next to a small table by the window, instead of behind her desk as she usually was.

"Luciana." Morgan stated. "Please, close the door behind you."

Luciana did as she was instructed.

"You wanted to see me?" she asked, turning back to face Morgan.

"That is correct." Morgan said stoically. "I just wanted to let you know that I don't appreciate being treated like a fool."

Luciana frowned, not understanding what the woman before her was alluding to.

"Master Morgan, I'm afraid I don't understand."

Morgan lifted her chin, eyeing Luciana distastefully.

"I know what he's like. Believe me, I know. But I thought you had more respect for me than that, Luciana. After everything I have done for you and your son. This is how you repay me?"

"Master Morgan, please, I don't know what you me-" Luciana started, before Morgan's bellowing voice cut her off.

"I know about your affair with Daniel, Luciana. How could you? That is my husband!"

Luciana gasped in shock.

"Oh no, Master Morgan... this is not true. I would never… I am so grateful for all you have done for Diego and I!"

"I am not a fool, Luciana Armando. Do not treat me like one!" Morgan yelled.

"Please, I'm not... You must believe me... I would never..." Luciana pleaded, her sobs jumbling her words.

"Leave." Morgan seethed. "Take your son and leave at once."

Luciana began crying openly as she realised that she no longer had a home at Hazakurain. She gave Morgan one last pleading look, hoping that the woman would believe her bur Morgan refused to meet her eyes. She turned and padded slowly towards the door, never once suspecting that she wouldn't make it that far.

Morgan's slender fingers closed around the marble goddess statuette she had strategically placed herself next to. Silently, she lunged forward, striking Luciana across the back of the head with great force. The woman crumpled to the ground instantly, blood tinting her curly brown hair in a dark red hue.

Without wasting a single second, Morgan ambled down beside Luciana and checked her pulse. She found none. Using her desk for support, Morgan pulled herself back to her feet. She grabbed Luciana's hands and dragged her body around behind her desk and out of view of anyone that might enter her office. Pulling a cleaning rag from Luciana's pocket, she wiped the blood off the floor and the excess from her hands, tossing the rag in the small bin by her filing cabinet. Breathing heavily, she cursed her cumbersome state. This would have been a lot easier to pull off if she hadn't been so heavily pregnant.

Closing the door to her office behind her, Morgan headed out to find Audrina. It was time for phase two.

* * *

Audrina hummed quietly to herself as she folded a large pile of linen. Lost in her own little world, she was visibly startled when Morgan burst into the room.

"Audrina!" Morgan cried. "There you are. I am so glad I have found you."

Audrina frowned, puzzled. Morgan was never 'glad' to see anyone.

"What is it, Morgan?" Audrina said, deliberately leaving out Morgan's title. "Are you okay? Is it the babies?"

Surprisingly, Morgan didn't snap at Audrina over the exclusion of her title.

"No, no," she said quickly. "The babies are fine. I just need you to channel someone for me urgently. It is very, very urgent. Please, come with me."

Audrina placed the towel she had been folding down on the bench. Morgan was acting very weird. She seemed distressed and fidgety. She had also yet to meet Audrina's eyes. Morgan was normally the kind of person who would stare through you, head held high. Audrina knew that something was very wrong, but chose to follow Morgan back to her office anyway. Maybe she could help.

Morgan walked briskly ahead of Audrina who could only wonder what was going on. They reached Morgan's office quickly. Morgan ushered her inside, looking around to make sure no one had seen them enter before closing the door.

"I'm afraid it's Daniel…" Morgan said cryptically. "He is doubting my power again. He is threatening to leave me and the babies!"

Morgan began sobbing lightly. Audrina placed a hand on her shoulder, all of a sudden understanding why the woman was so upset.

"Of course, I'll channel someone for you. Anything," Audrina said compassionately.

"Thank you, thank you," Morgan said, handing Audrina her hood to cover her hair and a piece of paper with the name '_Ernestine Welles'_. The name meant nothing to Audrina, but she assumed it must have been a relative of Daniel Hawthorne's.

"Are we doing this in here?" Audrina asked, motioning to Morgan's office.

"Yes," Morgan nodded quickly, her tears seemingly forgotten. "Daniel will be here any moment so I need you to get started."

Audrina nodded in response and closed her eyes over lightly, relaxing into a meditative stance. Losing her own lucidity as the channelled spirit took over, she had no way of hearing Morgan move around behind her, or feeling the blunt object strike her across the back of the head rendering her unconscious.

Audrina crumpled to the floor, face down. Her body was still as dark red blood stained through the white fabric of her hood covering the back of her head. Morgan glanced down at her, wondering briefly if she should check to make sure she was dead, but decided against it. It was too hard to get up and down off the floor at this stage of her pregnancy and if Audrina was still alive now, she would likely perish in the fire that Morgan was about to start. She moved over to her desk, picking up the can of lighter fluid she had brought with her. She squirted the liquid liberally over the floor around the bodies and over the bookshelves, much the same as she had already done in her own quarters where her husband slept.

This fire would not only destroy her office and the bodies of both Luciana Armando and Audrina Fey, but also her own quarters where her husband was fast asleep. With Daniel Hawthorne dead, everything he owned would be left to her. She knew he didn't have a will and as his wife she and their unborn daughters stood to inherit everything. Well, there was his other daughter Valerie but she could be removed from the picture just as easily. She would likely be returned to her own mother anyway.

She glanced down at Audrina as she crossed the room, heading towards the fireplace. She felt a pang of something that could have been described as something close to guilt, or the closest she could feel to guilt in her current mental state. The child was a necessary sacrifice. Morgan planned to blame Audrina for the fire, claiming that the spirit she had channelled had become violent and unstable.

Morgan reached down into the fireplace, dragging her hand over the blackened inner wall. She pulled the pins from her hair, and rubbed her soot covered hand over her face and clothes, giving herself the appearance of a person who had barely escaped a fire. She moved back to the door and reached into her pocket, pulling out a small box of matches. She struck one, staring at the flame as it flared before tossing it across the room. She waited for a few moments as the fire blazed to life, making sure that her office was well and truly burning before fleeing the room in order to find Althea.

* * *

"Althea! Please, help!" Morgan screamed when she finally found Althea outside in the garden.

Althea looked up, alarmed at Morgan's state of disarray. She took the woman by the shoulders, steadying her as she sobbed.

"Master Morgan, what is going on? What has happened?" Althea asked, panic rising in her voice.

"Audrina… channelling… fire," Morgan stammered. Althea felt her heart constrict in her chest.

"Where is Audrina? Please, calm down Master Morgan. I can't understand what you are saying."

Morgan sniffed, her tears leaving blackened streaks across her soot covered cheeks.

"My office, it's on fire. We need to get help. I barely got out of there."

"Where is my daughter?" Althea asked firmly, hoping Morgan would calm down enough to give her a straight answer.

"She's still inside my office! We need to get help!" Morgan sobbed convincingly. "She channelled someone for me, but they got violent and angry. They started a fire!"

"But Audrina would never allow herself to be controlled by a spirit like that! That's an amateur mistake. My daughter is able to sever a spirit connection on her own." Althea frowned, shaking her head in disbelief.

"I don't know!" Morgan said, her voice panicked. "I don't know why she couldn't break it, but we have to get help!"

The smell of smoke had started to reach Althea, making her realise just how dire the situation was. She rushed past Morgan heading towards the phone booth by Dusky Bridge. Looking over at the compound as she dialled the emergency number for the fire brigade, she could see smoke billowing from the buildings. A group of dazed acolytes had gathered outside the main hall. While they were scared and dizzy from smoke inhalation, they had thankfully made it out alive.

Morgan grimaced as she followed Althea's line of sight. The wind had changed directions and instead of burning her own quarters to the ground, the fire had moved in the opposite direction, tearing through the rooms behind the main hall and the meditation building. Morgan knew that inside that building a large group of acolytes were gathered for afternoon meditation. She squinted her eyes closed, feeling sick to her stomach. This had all just spiralled out of control way too quickly.

* * *

Given their remote location, it took the fire brigade a long time to arrive. By the time the fires were extinguished, there was little hope of finding any more survivors.

Daniel Hawthorne was rescued alive and well, and treated for smoke inhalation. He returned home, divorcing Morgan a month after the twins were born.

Surprisingly, Audrina Fey was also found alive. A large beam had fallen from the roof in Morgan's office, causing the roof to fall in. While the beam had fallen on her back, causing extensive nerve damage that would never be fully repaired, a large section of the roof had miraculously protected her from the flames. She had a severe concussion and third degree burns on the lower half of her body, but they would eventually heal and leave minimal scarring.

Althea Fey visited her daughter only once in hospital. Audrina had no memory of the events of the day beyond Morgan asking her to channel the spirit and was appalled when Althea told her of the damage she had caused. Althea was ashamed that Audrina had displayed such poor technique and discipline that resulted in such heavy damage. Many lives were lost, and ultimately Audrina was responsible in her mother's eyes.

Althea informed Audrina that Morgan had agreed to keep quiet about her involvement in the fire, deeming it a terrible accident on the condition that Audrina was never to return to Kurain. Morgan believed the loss that Audrina had caused was too great and that having her in the village was an insult to the families that she had destroyed, a notion with which Althea agreed. Twenty three acolytes had lost their lives that day, along with Luciana Armando. Diego Armando was also missing and presumed dead.

Audrina was shattered by her mother's cold disposition. Althea had never been openly loving or affectionate, but she had mistakenly believed that her mother would be supportive at such a time. Althea left the hospital that day, turning her back on her only daughter who she believed had brought shame to the Fey name. Morgan had agreed to protect Audrina from any criminal charges, but even back then, Althea knew it would be at a price.

Audrina recovered and returned to Hazakurain, spending her time in solitude to atone for the deaths she had caused, slowly rebuilding and repairing what the fire had destroyed. She vowed she would never channel anyone ever again, blessing the white hood she wore and praying every day that the garment would protect her from evil spirits. She severed all ties with Kurain, trying her hardest to forget about her family altogether. She succeeded for a while, until five years after the fire when Daniel Hawthorne returned to Hazakurain.

No words were exchanged as Daniel exited his impressive looking black limousine, a young girl of about five with dark hair following behind him obediently. Audrina stood at the top of the steps to the main hall, unable to hear what he said to the girl as he knelt down in front of her due to the distance. He stood after a moment, glancing up at Audrina before returning to his car, leaving the little girl behind. He never set foot in Hazakurain again, nor did he ever inquire into the wellbeing of the child.

The little girl looked at her feet as she clutched the handle of a small suitcase in both hands. A pretty, dark haired Barbie doll clad in swimwear was tucked carefully under one arm. Audrina headed down the steps, stopping in front of the girl. She knelt down in front of her smiling at the pretty young girl that she could only assume was Morgan's daughter.

"Hello there," Audrina said happily.

"Hi," the little girl said sheepishly, still looking down at her feet.

"What's your name?" Audrina asked, hopeful that the girl would answer.

"Iris," she said softly after a small pause.

"That's a very beautiful name, Iris," Audrina smiled. "A beautiful name for a beautiful girl."

Iris looked up a Bikini, a small smile gracing her lips. No one had ever called her beautiful before.

"And what's your dolls name?" Audrina asked, motioning to the doll she was holding under her arm.

"She doesn't have a name yet. She's only new. Dahlia keeps breaking my dolls. Daddy gets angry at me when he has to replace them." Iris said gently, looking at her feet once more.

Audrina patted the girl on the head reassuringly. Dahlia must have been the other twin. And from the sounds of it, she was just like Morgan and Daniel. Somehow, through some sort of miracle, Iris had seemingly turned out more like her Aunt Misty.

"Well that's no good." Audrina said softly. "No one is going to break your doll here, so let's give her a nice name."

Iris nodded, placing her suitcase down. She held the doll up for Audrina to inspect. The dolls olive skin and curly dark hair reminded her of a friend long lost.

"How about Lucy?" Audrina suggested. Iris smiled, looking down at the doll in her hands.

"That's pretty," Iris said. "Lucy," she repeated.

Audrina picked up the little suitcase and took the girl by the hand, leading her towards the main hall. She smiled. The sun peeked through the leaves of the tree behind them, creating little slivers of light on the path ahead of them. She hadn't realised how lonely she was until there was someone around to remind her how it felt to have company.

"You never told me your name," Iris asked, looking up at the woman holding her hand. Audrina thought for a moment, glancing down at the doll in the girl's hands.

"You can call me… Sister… Bikini."

Iris giggled.

"That's a silly name."

The newly named Sister Bikini chuckled as the pair ascended the stone steps.

"Well I'm glad you like it!"

* * *

**A/N: Back to the present with the next chapter! Thanks so much to everyone who reads and reviews. You guys are great.**


	34. Running Out Of Time

**A/N: I'm so sorry that it's been so long guys! I can't believe it's been over a month! Sorry about that!**

**So now we head back to the present. The previous two chapters were back story for you, the reader. Unfortunately our characters within the story don't know the truth yet. Bikini believes she started the fire and at present that's the only information that Phoenix has... for now.**

**This chapter is mostly dialogue between Mia and Phoenix so I hope it's not at all boring for you. Don't worry – Phoenix and Maya will be reunited soon.**

* * *

Lillian gave Bikini's hand a compassionate squeeze, frowning sadly at the emotional woman sitting across from her.

Bikini's eyes remained downward cast, clouded with the guilt of tragedies long since passed. Lillian wished there was something, anything she could do to alleviate her suffering, but really, what words could be said? Lillian knew the fire had been an accident and that Bikini was not in control of her actions when she had started it, but that wouldn't lift the regret that the poor woman carried with her regarding that day. Lillian had fought many times with Althea about her decision to abandon her daughter, but she had always been resolute. As far as Althea was concerned, Audrina had brought shame to the family and deserved to be outcast because of it. Lillian eventually gave up trying to change her mind, but often wondered about the girl hiding away in the mountains that everyone else believed dead.

As saddening as it was to accept, given the information that Lillian had just received about Andre Fey and her own death it was plain to see that Althea Fey was no longer worthy of the respect she had once afforded her.

The heavy silence was interrupted by the loud creak of the wooden doors to the main hall swinging open swiftly. Bikini snapped her head up, almost doing a double take as Mia strode purposefully into the room, her heels clicking rhythmically against the floorboards as Phoenix kept pace behind her. He looked tired and dishevelled. The man was almost unrecognisable without his clean cut appearance and trademark blue suit.

Bikini watched as Mia drew closer. It was almost uncanny. Her posture, her mannerisms – even her walk was exactly like Misty. She smiled to herself as she recognised the black coat that Mia wore. It had been one of Misty's favourites. She had kept the coat in Hazakurain along with a few other items to use whenever she visited.

"You found your mothers things," Bikini said softly as Mia took a seat across from her.

Mia smiled, crossing her long legs casually. Phoenix remained standing behind her, his arms crossed and expression stoic.

"Yes," Mia nodded. "Mystic Deanna showed me where her belongings were before I left. I thought I might attract too much attention if I headed to the city wearing acolyte robes and I wasn't in the mood for questions."

Bikini nodded in understanding.

"Your mother wore that coat often when she visited," Bikini remembered fondly, still amazed at how much Mia resembled her childhood friend. Of course it was to be expected as Mia was Misty's daughter, but the resemblance was not so much physical as it was something below the surface. Something deeper.

Mia looked down at her attire, delicately fingering the fabric of her mother's winter coat. She straightened the crystal snowflake pin on the lapel before shrugging lightly and rearranging the garment.

"Mother always did have impeccable style," Mia said. "But it's a little tight in the chest area."

The sound of a man coughing directed Bikini's attention to Phoenix. He covered his mouth with the back of his hand, seemingly to stifle laughter.

"Something amusing, Phoenix?" Mia asked, raising an eyebrow. She didn't bother turning around to face her former protégé.

Phoenix shook his head as he cleared his throat, quickly regaining his composure.

"Not at all, Chief," he said with an innocent shake of his head.

Despite the sullen mood of the day and all that everyone involved had been through, Bikini was relieved that they could still take a moment to joke and laugh.

Although she likely didn't want Phoenix to see, a small smile graced Mia's lips as she rolled her eyes. Bikini found herself chuckling softly at the easy rapport between the two. They were almost like siblings.

"Good," Mia said, her tone authoritative. "We need to get down to business."

Any and all jokes about Mia's ample bust were soon forgotten as Phoenix moved past Mia and took a seat next to her. He sat forward with his hands clasped together as he eyed Bikini seriously. Bikini noted the pensive nature of his body language and felt herself straighten in her chair under his scrutiny. She was no expert at reading people, but could clearly see the worry etched deep into the lines of his forehead. His worry no doubt for Mystic Maya.

"Lillian," Mia began, addressing the older woman who had yet to speak. "How much longer is Jess able to sustain channelling you?"

"I should still have a few hours left before the child will need to rest," Lillian replied with curt nod.

"I probably have about an hour, tops before Eve will need to rest, so we should try and piece together as much information as we can while we are all here," Mia suggested.

Bikini nodded, glancing up again at Phoenix. She took a deep breath before lacing her fingers together and meeting the eyes of the desperate man seated across from her.

"I guess we should start by filling you in on the Hazakurain Incident."

* * *

Phoenix sat silent as Bikini retold the story of the fire that had nearly destroyed Hazakurain. His heart ached at the pain in her voice and the tears that fell freely as she spoke of the women who had lost their lives. Underneath the cheerful, chuckling facade that she wore everyday was a deep emotional wound that festered away with guilt.

Pouring salt on the wound was the fact that her own mother had turned her back on her, even though the whole thing was clearly an unfortunate accident. He'd always figured Morgan the type to cut and run so the fact that she had done so was no surprise, but Bikini spoke of Althea with a much higher regard. He could only assume that she wasn't always the hardened witch that he knew her to be. Perhaps a lot had changed that day.

Phoenix felt drained and winded, the information that he now needed to process was like a punch to the stomach. So Morgan had asked Bikini to channel someone and the channelled spirit had gone berserk, setting Hazakurain alight. People had died and Bikini had spent 25 years shouldering the guilt. Knowing Morgan as he did, Phoenix couldn't believe that there wasn't more to this story.

"So let me get this straight," Phoenix said, blinking heavily as he sorted through the facts in his head. "Althea Fey is your mother?"

Bikini sniffed as she wiped at her nose with a handkerchief. Lillian stroked the distraught woman's hand soothingly.

"Yes," Bikini said eventually. "My real name is Audrina Fey."

Phoenix's eyes widened. Snapping his head sideways, he turned his attention to Mia.

"That name was on your notes. Did you know? I mean, that Audrina was Bikini?"

Mia frowned, shaking her head to signify that she did not.

"Hazakurain was hardly mentioned but when it was, we were told that the whole village was abandoned after being destroyed in a fire," Mia explained. "I never knew about anyone still being out here at all. My memories of Audrina are limited as I was so young, but whenever anyone mentioned Audrina Fey, Althea always said that her daughter had died."

Mia's admission caused Bikini to sob lightly, the concrete confirmation of her mother's rejection breaking what little composure she had left. Mia leaned forward, patting her gently on the knee.

"I'm sorry..." Mia fumbled. "I didn't mean to say it so bluntly like that... I – "

"Mia, it's fine," Bikini said, cutting her off as she did her best to smile and blink back the rest of her tears. "Just hearing it is hard, that's all."

Mia nodded dumbly, averting her gaze and trying her hardest to hold back tears of her own. This whole mess just was so sad and awful and her beautiful baby sister sat right in the centre of it. Maya didn't deserve any of this, and now it seemed that generations of betrayal and lies had somehow become her problem – her mess to clean up. Mia clenched her fists tightly. This had to end here. She could not allow the misery of the Fey family's past to be Maya's legacy as well.

"Sister Bikini," Phoenix said softly, breaking the silence. "You can't blame yourself for this anymore. You weren't in control of your actions."

"That's right," Mia added sympathetically. "Morgan never should have asked you to channel anyone that could have turned volatile. She also should have stayed close by to supervise the channelling. She took advantage of your kindness and your willingness to help. As far as I am concerned there is blood on her hands."

Bikini squeezed her eyes shut, shaking her head as if to shake away the memories she was having.

"Even after all these years, I still have the same nightmare. Over and over," Bikini said sadly. "I channelled hundreds of spirits before that day and never once did I dream of such horror. It was like I could sense that spirit's evil. I dreamed such horrible things... the screams, the smell of smoke and blood, the heat of the flames..."

Phoenix sat straight up in his chair. He glanced over at Mia who was frowning. She nodded as he caught her eye briefly, the small notion reassuring him that they were thinking the same thing.

"You dreamed?" Mia asked. "You definitely dreamed?"

"Oh yes." Bikini sighed, blinking heavily. "I still dream the same terrible dream often."

"But that's impossible..." Phoenix piped in.

"Wh-what do you mean?" Bikini stammered.

"That's how we knew Maya didn't kill Dr Grey..." Phoenix trailed off.

"I'm afraid I don't follow," Bikini said, her eyes darting back and forth between Phoenix and Mia.

"When you channel a spirit, that spirit takes over your entire consciousness." Mia explained. "There is no independent thought. That's why we never have any memories of the experience. There is no conscious part of you that would be able to remember anything at all, so dreaming is impossible."

"I don't understand..." Bikini said, frowning. "But what about severing the spirit connection? My mother said that experienced mediums can dispel spirits on their own. How can they do that without conscious thought?"

Mia glanced pointedly at Lillian, hoping that she had the answer because she had never heard of such a thing. Mia had never heard of mediums being able to dispel spirits without someone else present to sever the connection for them except for when the spirit had stayed too long.

"I believe what you are referring to is called a 'split channelling', my dear," Lillian explained. "A split channelling occurs when the medium shares the consciousness with the channelled spirit, but it is a very rare ability and also very dangerous to use."

Bikini shook her head in confusion.

"But if it's rare and dangerous, why would my mother assume that I had that ability?"

Lillian sighed heavily. How was it possible that there were still so many secrets hidden away by the Fey family?

"Althea is able to perform split channelling, as could your grandmother. The ability to split channel a spirit is passed down from mother to daughter, but there have been instances where it has skipped a generation, as was the case with you, Audrina."

Bikini didn't know what to say. She had so much information to take in right now, yet here was something else she had never even known about. It was yet another way in which she had disappointed her mother. Lillian frowned sadly as she continued to explain.

"Your mother refused to believe that the ability may have skipped you. Even though it normally manifests quite young, Althea was adamant that your ability was latent despite the fact you had never once displayed any signs of being able to perform a split channelling. It is quite possible that if you had birthed a daughter of your own that she would have inherited the ability, even though you are unable to do so."

"So I never could have..." Bikini trailed off, covering her face with her hands. Her composure faltered and she began sobbing. "I failed her in that way too?"

Mia shook her head.

"Sister Bikini you didn't fail anyone. Don't you see? You couldn't have dreamed. If you were channelling someone like you thought you were you couldn't have dreamed," she repeated.

"What do you mean?" Bikini said through her tears.

Mia frowned, her mind already reaching the inevitable conclusion.

"The only solution is..." she began.

"That someone else started that fire and blamed you." Phoenix finished, a scowl marring his features.

There was only one person that it could have been.

* * *

Phoenix groaned as he stretched his shoulders back, his brain barely registering the cracking sound from his protesting shoulder joints. Relief from the muscle tension was fleeting. It was only a matter of seconds before the dull ache of fatigue set in once again.

With a groan he pulled himself to his feet, padding over to the small armoire where he had left the lantern Iris had given him when she had showed him to the room. The sun was setting, casting long shadows through the bay window and he knew if he didn't light the lantern soon he would find himself in darkness.

Sister Bikini hadn't dealt well with the news that she most likely wasn't the person responsible for the fire. Her entire world had changed in an instant. Up was down, right was wrong. Everything that she had believed for so long was no longer true. Her life of solitude, her mother's abandonment, the guilt that she had lived with for years… it was all for naught. She had asked for some time alone which Phoenix could totally understand. The poor woman had a lot to process.

Mystic Eve also needed rest after channelling Mia for such a long time so it was suggested that they all take a break for a little while. Iris had shown him to the room so that he could perhaps take a nap for himself. He couldn't remember the last time he had slept decently, but he was far too wired to sleep today. He just wanted to get to Maya.

He struck the match, watching the flame flare to life before dying down in an instant to almost nothing. He could relate. The great Phoenix Wright rose quickly to fame in the courtroom before fizzling out into the man he was now, just like the match burning away between his fingertips. He was disgraced, disrespected, disbarred. Would Maya still love him now that he was nothing? Now that he had nothing to offer her? He swore lightly under his breath and shook his head before lighting the lantern and disposing of the match. Maya wouldn't care if he was a lawyer or not, but he still didn't look forward to telling her what had happened. She was the one person he knew he never wanted to disappoint.

Placing the lantern back down, he turned, surprised to see Mia standing behind him. He hadn't heard her enter the room.

He raised an eyebrow sardonically, noting the change in her appearance from when she had been channelled by Eve.

"Blonde is an interesting look for you Chief," he quipped.

Mia chuckled lightly under her breath.

"Instant makeover courtesy of Mystic Deanna," she replied with a small laugh. "Eve is still resting. I guess I wiped her out pretty bad."

Phoenix shrugged lightly.

"I'm sure she understands. We all do what we have to do."

"I know," Mia said. "All the girls here have been wonderful. It's really great the way that they are all banding together to help Maya."

"Well, she is their leader," Phoenix offered.

"Yes, but she is also their friend." Mia added. "I always knew that Maya wouldn't place herself above the people after she became Master. They all respect her more for it. She's more right for the job than she thinks she is."

Phoenix nodded lightly before moving back to his spot on the floor, resting his back against the wall.

"I'd offer you a seat, but there doesn't seem to be any," Phoenix said, motioning casually around the sparsely furnished room. Other than the futon on the floor, there was the chest of drawers where he had left the lantern and not much else. The room wasn't really designed for luxury.

Mia chuckled softly again. She walked towards Phoenix, crouching down to join him on the floor. She removed the cloak she had been wearing and draped it over her outstretched legs.

The pair sat in silence for a while before Mia finally spoke.

"Something wrong with the window seat?" she asked, motioning to the bay window across the room.

Phoenix sighed heavily. There was nothing wrong with it at all, but he just couldn't bear to sit there. The last time he was in this room, in that seat, he had held Maya in his arms. He had realised how much he loved her. He knew if he sat there that it would just highlight her absence. He couldn't deal with any more misery today.

He wondered idly if Iris remembered that this had been Maya's room. She probably didn't. This was likely just another of those annoying coincidences that seemed to plague his life.

He opened his mouth to give Mia some sort of explanation as to why he preferred to sit on the floor but came up with nothing. Maybe he was just being silly. Mia sensed his hesitation to answer, wondering if he had been in this room before. She knew he had been to Hazakurain at least twice previously.

"I just…" Phoenix began. "This was Maya's room, the last time we stayed here."

Mia nodded, waiting for him to continue. So he had been here before. He had been here with Maya. But that still didn't explain why he didn't want to sit on the only seat in the room.

Phoenix sat silent for a few moments longer before he felt the need to elaborate.

"I knew that night, for sure, that I loved her. Something just clicked inside my brain, you know. I just knew. I'd been fighting it."

Mia smiled softly. She couldn't have asked for a better man to take care of Maya. For so long she had been the only one to protect her little sister. It had been unbelievably hard for her to leave Maya in Kurain while she went off to become a lawyer, but she just had to keep reminding herself that she was doing it to help her. Mia wanted to find their mother and bring their family back together again. Althea had tried to keep them apart by banning Mia from returning to Kurain because of Diego, but Maya had just insisted with a smile that she would come to the city to visit her instead.

Maya was an optimist, a ray of sunshine after a thunderstorm. But Mia knew that Kurain and all it encompassed was one hell of a storm to weather, especially alone. She used to worry about who would be there for Maya if something should happen to her but was glad to know that she didn't have to worry anymore. No matter how heavy the rain, she knew that Phoenix would always be by Maya's side with an umbrella.

She looked over at Phoenix, smiling at his soft expression, highlighted by the flickering of the lamplight. He gazed over at the window, lost in a memory that Mia wasn't sure that she wanted to interrupt.

"So you'd rather freeze your butt off on the floor, rather than sit up there simply because this was Maya's room?" Mia queried further. "I don't understand you Phoenix."

She had a sneaking suspicion that she knew what was so significant about it, but couldn't seem to quell the curious gossip in her that wanted verification, not to mention more details.

Phoenix sighed, looking down at his hands. He laced his fingers together and began fidgeting with his thumbs. The fact that he was stalling his answer led Mia to believe that her inclination was correct. He didn't want to tell her because something had happened between them. He was worried that she wouldn't approve. She could barely hold back her smile. Young love was so exciting.

"Well?" Mia pried.

"We had a fight that night," Phoenix said finally. "We both yelled at each other and said a lot of things that we didn't mean."

"Oh..." Mia said softly.

Perhaps she had been wrong after all. She had forgotten that young love was just as much heartbreak as it was excitement.

"I stormed out on her. I know I shouldn't have but I was really upset at her. I walked down to Dusky Bridge. That's where Iris found me," he continued.

"Iris?" Mia asked, surprised.

"Yeah," Phoenix sighed. "She overheard us yelling and basically convinced me in much nicer words that I was being a jerk."

"But I thought that Iris and you... I mean back in college, right?"

"Yes." Phoenix nodded. "I thought I loved her."

He shook his head, scoffing lightly to himself.

"I had no idea what love even was," he finished, sighing under his breath.

Mia felt her heart swell. What Phoenix felt for her sister... it was special. Once in a lifetime special. She felt intense happiness and sadness at the same time. How could the world see fit to keep these two apart? It just wasn't fair.

"So Iris was okay? I mean, with you and Maya?" Mia asked.

"I don't know," Phoenix shrugged. "I mean I guess so. She was the one that told me I needed to help her. Apparently everyone could see that I was in love with Maya, except for me."

"You always did need a little coaxing to reach your conclusions, Phoenix," Mia quipped.

"Gee. Thanks Chief." Phoenix responded sarcastically.

"I'm sorry," Mia chuckled. "I couldn't resist."

Despite Mia's teasing, Phoenix felt the corner of his mouth lift in a half smile.

"Anyway," he continued. "I headed back here to go to bed, but I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep if I didn't say sorry. I expected Maya to be asleep, but she wasn't. She was awake. Sitting in that window seat right there, crying."

He paused, his eyes dropping to his hands in his lap.

"Crying over me," he whispered painfully.

Mia frowned sadly at the thought of her sister's tears. The blunt way that Phoenix had spelled it out spoke volumes of his own guilt as well.

"What did you do?" Mia whispered, eager to hear how Phoenix had reacted to finding her sister in such a state.

"I couldn't think of anything to say that would make it better," Phoenix said quietly. "So I just held her. I held her until she stopped crying. I fell asleep with her in my arms."

Mia felt the tears stinging the corners of her eyes before they fell. She reached out and took Phoenix's hand in her own, squeezing it gently.

"Oh wow." Mia sniffed, wiping away her tears with the back of her free hand. "I think that's the most beautiful, romantic thing I've ever heard."

"Really?" Phoenix asked.

"Really." Mia confirmed. "Geez, here I was thinking that you two had... well... you know."

"We'd what?" Phoenix asked, puzzled.

It only took a moment for him to realise what Mia was alluding to. He straightened instantly against the wall, his cheeks reddening as he turned to face Mia.

"Oh! Oh, no. No. We didn't. I mean, haven't. I wouldn't. I mean… umm…"

Phoenix struggled with his words and raked a hand through his spikes. Mia found herself laughing softly at his flushed features.

"It's okay, Phoenix," Mia said reassuringly. "There's no need to be embarrassed."

Phoenix covered his face with his hands.

"You don't think so?" he groaned from between his fingers. Removing his hands from his face, he turned and glared at Mia pointedly. "I don't suppose you've ever been put on the spot like that by your girlfriend's older sibling who also happens to be your former boss?"

"No, I don't suppose I have," she laughed. "I'm just trying to say that it's okay though. You're both adults. What goes on between you and my sister is your business."

"Well I'm just trying to say that it's not like that." Phoenix countered, still flustered. He crossed his arms over his chest and settled back against the wall.

Mia frowned. Phoenix loved Maya, and it was pretty obvious that she was crazy about him too. How could it not be like _that_?

"You do find my sister attractive, don't you?" she asked.

"Of course I do." Phoenix replied. "Maya is beautiful."

"So why is it not... _'like that'_? I don't understand. You two are young and in love. Surely... I mean... surely you want to..." Mia stammered, bewildered.

"Oh, no!" Phoenix said as he realised that Mia had misconstrued what he had said. "Of course I want to. That's not what I meant. Maya is..."

He paused, blinking heavily and shaking his head.

"Maya is... well... wow. I mean, trust me. There's been a whole lot of self control on my part."

"Then what's the problem?" Mia asked simply.

Phoenix stared at Mia for a moment before raising an eyebrow.

"You do realise that the role of the big sister is usually to protect her little sister's virtue, right?"

Mia huffed lightly, throwing her hands in the air dramatically.

"Virtue is overrated," she said flatly, causing Phoenix to laugh.

"I'm starting to think you might be right about that," he agreed with a chuckle.

"Of course I'm right." Mia said. "I'm always right. So...?" she asked again, attempting to veer the conversation back on track.

Phoenix frowned before sighing audibly. He could not believe he was having a conversation of this nature about Maya with Mia of all people.

"I just... I just wanted to wait for the right time," he said eventually, finding it hard to put what he was trying to say into words. "Sometimes… sometimes she just still seems so…" he paused, trying to figure out exactly what he wanted to say when Mia cut him off.

"There's a small part of you that still sees her as my little sister, isn't there?" she asked.

Phoenix glanced up at Mia, relieved to find an expression of understanding on her face. He nodded. She was right. Maya was amazingly beautiful and he was so in love with her, but he knew he was holding himself back. Partly because she was so much younger than he was and he didn't want to rush her, but he definitely had his own reasons as well.

"I'm supposed to protect her," he explained. "Sometimes I feel guilty about the depth of my feelings for her because you left her in my care. I feel like I'm taking advantage of her and I worry about what you might think of me."

Mia smiled reassuringly at him.

"I think you did a wonderful job taking care of her and making her happy." she said sincerely, patting Phoenix gently on the leg. "I couldn't have hoped for her to fall in love with a better man and I am truly glad she chose you, Phoenix."

"Thanks Chief," he said as slumped back against the wall, hoping that their embarrassing conversation could finally be put to rest.

"I know that you love her," Mia said softly. "What good would I do by making things difficult and trying to slow things down for you two because of some outdated notion of chastity. Love is far too important."

Phoenix nodded silently. As usual, Mia was right.

"It's so easy to run out of time…" she whispered, trailing off sadly.

Phoenix knew that Mia had known her own heartbreak. Clearly she didn't want her sister to experience the same pain of love lost and opportunities missed.

"Did you and Diego run out of time?" he asked boldly.

Mia was quiet for so long that Phoenix began to think that perhaps he shouldn't have asked something so personal. He glanced sideways at her, guilt flooding through him when he realised Mia was crying.

"We did," she croaked with a small nod.

"I'm sorry," he apologised softly.

"It's okay," Mia sniffed with a shake of her head. "I just don't want you two to make the same mistake."

"I know," Phoenix said. He wrapped his arm around Mia and pulled her closer to him. She sniffed again before resting her head on his shoulders. For a moment he was struck by the oddity of it all. Here he was, in a hidden spiritual retreat in the mountains with his once unflappable, now deceased former boss crying on his shoulder. The world had indeed gone mad.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked gently. He wondered if anyone had ever asked her about this before. Maya didn't seem to know very much at all about Diego and Mia didn't seem to have many friends. She had always preferred to keep to herself, or at least she had for as long as he had known her.

Mia's sigh was almost inaudible.

"I guess I kind of have to," she replied.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, there are things he told me... things that could help you. But you need to go and see him." Mia said. "There is a lot he never got the chance to tell me. We... like you said. We ran out of time."

"I will. If it helps us protect Maya and take down Althea and Andre then I will." Phoenix reassured her.

"The Hazakurain incident is the key." Mia maintained. "Once we have all the facts I just know it will tie everything together. Morgan has to have something to do with it."

"That's what I was thinking too." Phoenix said suspiciously. "But there's still so many pieces of the puzzle that are missing."

"Well maybe I can help you with some of that."

Phoenix smiled glumly at his former boss. It seemed to be time for her side of the story.

"Perhaps you can," he nodded, settling back against the wall, watching Mia attentively.

"You know about me leaving Kurain to become a lawyer and find my mother, right?" Mia asked.

"Yes." Phoenix nodded. "You worked for Grossberg, right?"

"Right." Mia confirmed. "Diego worked there too."

She smiled, her eyes brightening as she remembered.

"From the moment I saw him..." she began dreamily. "There was just something about him. I was crazy attracted to him. But he was a flirt. He would chat up anything in a skirt and they all swooned over him. He was so charming and that was the biggest part of the problem. All the other girls in the office warned me that he was a certified womaniser, so I avoided him. I knew a suave, sophisticated charmer like him would just break my heart."

Phoenix listened on as Mia gathered her words.

"But Diego was persistent. He went out of his way to talk to me. He brought me coffee every day. He even volunteered to mentor me, which Grossberg, of course, was thrilled about. Grossberg assumed we were dating and despite the fact that I denied it constantly, Diego did nothing but encourage that belief when he started calling me 'kitten' around the office. I was infuriated. I spent most of my time trying to antagonise him, push him away or make him mad."

Mia chuckled to herself.

"I think that just made him more determined."

Phoenix thought back to his trial with Godot. Suave, sophisticated, persistent and determined were definitely all correct words to describe the man once known as Diego Armando. He was the type that made a lasting impression.

"Eventually, I relented and agreed to have dinner with him. I tell you, I was determined to make it the worst date of all time. I made him wait, I was rude, I ordered incredibly expensive food... but he just smiled and weathered all of it. There was nothing I could do to dissuade him. I started to feel bad about how I was behaving and once I started to relax, I realised how much fun I was having. Diego wasn't smarmy or sleazy. He was sweet and attentive, not to mention patient with a brat like me," Mia continued.

"As we walked back to his car, he stopped me and told me there was something important that I needed to know. I started to doubt him for a second, thinking that maybe I was wrong and this was where he would make his big play, but I wasn't prepared at all for the bombshell he was about to drop."

"He told me that he had grown up in Hazakurain. He knew my relatives, my parents... he had even met me when we were children. The woman that Bikini told you about earlier... Lucy..."

"Luciana Armando..." Phoenix finished, eyes wide. That name had featured heavily in Mia's notes. "She was his mother?"

"Yes." Mia nodded. "I invited him back to my place and he told me all about what it was like here, about my mother's visits, about Audrina. He had so many happy memories. He even recalled pushing me on a swing when I was a little girl. Part of me thinks I might kind of remember that too, but it's hazy."

"Wow," Phoenix said, exhaling dramatically. "That's a lot to take in. Was he here the day of the fire?"

Mia took a deep breath and nodded, signalling silently that she would get to that part shortly.

"We talked for hours about the villages and growing amongst spiritual mediums. I felt so relieved to have found someone who not only understood me, but also my abilities. He wasn't afraid of my spiritual power. In fact, he was curious about it. I knew I was falling in love, almost instantly. It was like he was like an old friend."

Mia paused for a moment, considering her last remark.

"I guess he was an old friend. I just didn't remember him," she smiled.

Phoenix smiled in return as Mia continued.

"I told him all about Maya and what I knew about DL-6. He promised me that he would do everything he could to help me find my mother. It was getting late by this point so we decided to call it a night. I can still remember his handsome face as he stood in the doorway to my apartment and asked if he could kiss me goodnight. To my surprise, I said yes without even thinking about it."

Mia paused, sighing breathily as she rested her head back against the wall, playing the night over in her mind as she had done so many times.

"One kiss was all it took. He didn't go home that night."

Mia smiled, falling silent for a while. Phoenix decided it was best to wait for her to speak again.

"I awoke in his arms the next morning, deliriously happy, but full of more questions about Hazakurain. I asked him as he was dressing if he knew what had happened on the day of the fire. He just smiled and leaned forward to kiss the tip of my nose. He said that he didn't want to ruin such a perfect morning talking about unhappy memories. He promised that he would cook me dinner that night and tell me all about it when we finished work. He had a witness to interview that afternoon and we could get together afterwards."

Phoenix noted the change in Mia's voice as she recalled what had happened that day. He almost knew who the witness was before she had a chance to say anything.

"That witness was Dahlia Hawthorne," Mia breathed, her voice barely above a whisper. "The next time I saw Diego was in the hospital... in a coma."

Phoenix's felt his heart lurch. Poor, poor Mia.

"So he never got to finish telling you about it?" Phoenix asked.

Mia shook her head.

"By the time he woke up, I had been murdered. But you already know that part of the story," she said dejectedly.

Phoenix cursed under his breath. A life of heartache seemed to be a prerequisite for being born into the Fey family. Mia's forward nature in regards to his relationship with Maya now made a lot more sense. She had loved and lost, all in the span of twenty four hours.

"I'm so sorry Mia," he said sadly. "I had always assumed that you and Diego were together for some time. I mean, Maya and I found that letter from Althea banning you from Kurain amongst your notes."

Mia scoffed.

"I got that letter three months after he went into hospital. I don't know how Althea found out about him, or what she was worried that he might have told me, but it was like a knife to the heart. Maya was the one thing I had left. That's when I started trying to piece everything together. Something was up and I had to get to the bottom of it, for Maya as well as myself. The worst thing is though, I doubt Althea even knew that Diego was in a coma. She always was a tactless, insensitive old shrew, even if Bikini says otherwise."

"That _is_ awful," Phoenix said with a grimace. He wondered why Althea would want to keep Mia away from Maya simply because of Diego. What did he know that was so dangerous? And why was it dangerous to Althea? None of it made sense at all.

"Go and see him tomorrow." Mia urged. "I know you want to go and get Maya right away, but trust me. She's safer where she is until we know everything."

Phoenix frowned. He really wanted to get to Maya as soon as possible, but he trusted Mia's judgement.

"Okay, I will." Phoenix agreed. "But I wish there was some way that I could just know that she's okay. Some way to let her know that we still trying to bring an end to all of this."

"There is," Mia said simply. "Don't worry, I'll take care of it. You just go and find out what you can from Diego."

Phoenix nodded as Mia stood to leave. She walked to the door before pausing.

"Phoenix?" she called over her shoulder.

"Yeah Chief?"

"Thank you," she said simply.

He smiled as she slid the door closed behind her and an odd, yet comforting feeling of déjà vu washed over him.

* * *

Maya yawned as she plodded through the kitchen, the socks on her feet doing little to protect her against the chill of the wooden floorboards. She flipped the switch on the kettle, preparing to make herself some tea. The sun was up, but she had no idea what time it was. The one thing she had forgotten to bring with her was a clock of any type. Her cell phone was back in Kurain.

Mystic Ami's "cabin" was not at all what she had expected. The original cabin was long gone and a more modern dwelling had been constructed in its place to be used as a 'Master's Retreat'. The cupboards were well stocked and she even had a vegetable garden outside. As steeped in tradition as Kurain was, apparently it was the site that was sacred and not the structure. Although it took a while to reach from Kurain on foot, there was running water and electricity, which led her to believe that the cabin might not be as secluded as the Elders wanted her to think. She could probably find a road if she was to follow the power line overhead for long enough.

But there wasn't much point in that. She was stuck here until she could channel Mystic Ami. Who knew how long that might take?

With a heavy sigh, she poured the boiling water and dunked the teabag a few times. She picked up the mug and began to head out to the front porch to sit in the sun, when the sudden force of someone shouting her name in her subconscious almost knocked her off her feet.

Steadying herself, she had barely placed the mug back down on the counter when it happened again. This time, the voice was clearer.

Maya's eyes widened in shock as she recognised Mia's voice. Scrambling over to the kitchen table, she sat and relaxed into her meditative stance. She began calling on Mia and was thrilled to discover no pain. There was no block!

Shuffling through the books and piles of paper on the table, she found a blank piece and scrawled a message for her sister at the top before closing her eyes and commencing the channelling.

* * *

Mia opened her eyes to unfamiliar surroundings. Looking down, she saw familiar purple training robes... along with feet clad in gaudy blue steel samurai socks.

Chuckling to herself, she noticed the piece of paper sitting in front of her.

There were only three words written on the page.

"_Tell me everything."_

Mia smiled as she picked up the pen and began to write.


	35. History Rewritten

**A/N: ****Gosh this was a tough one to finish. It's late. I'm tired. This chapter is probably chock full of spelling mistakes and grammatical errors. I'll fix them tomorrow when I read this back and cringe at how awful it is. hehe**

**I don't own AA or Phoenix or anything and it's days like this that I'm kinda glad. This chapter was TOUGH!**

* * *

Straightening his tie, Phoenix walked briskly through the gate towards the prison complex. Having been stripped of his badge, he had no right to be here in any sort of official capacity but he had decided to drop in at his office on the way from Hazakurain to shower and make himself look presentable nonetheless. He needed every ounce of strength he could gather and the familiar fit of his blue suit seemed to provide him with a heightened, albeit false, sense of bravado. Almost like a toddler with a security blanket.

He slipped his hand into his pocket, rolling the magatama that Maya had given him between his fingers. Perhaps this would come in handy too.

Pushing through the doors, the officer on reception looked up at him with mild annoyance. Officer Annie Barnes was a portly woman of around fifty with curly red hair and a penchant for blue eye shadow. Phoenix had seen her before when visiting the complex, but she didn't seem to remember him.

Or at least she didn't at first.

"State your business," Annie said, her voice monotone.

"Ahh, I'm here as a visitor," Phoenix responded nervously.

"Fill this out," she said flatly, slamming a worn clipboard with an identification form attached down on the bench in front of him.

Phoenix filled in the form, handing it back to the officer who skimmed it quickly, her eyes sparking with recognition when she read the name written at the top of the paper. She raised an eyebrow at him.

"Phoenix Wright huh?" she drawled. "I thought I recognised you. You're that corrupt lawyer aren't you?"

Phoenix said nothing, pursing his lips together in frustration. How was he meant to respond to a question like that? His reaction however, did little to dissuade the nosy prison officer from continuing.

"Yes. It is you. I saw your picture in the paper." she continued tactlessly. "You know, I thought we'd be seeing you on the other side of these bars. Perverting the course of justice and all that…"

"Is everything fine with the form?" Phoenix said impatiently, crossing his arms in front of his chest. Why couldn't this woman just keep quiet and do her job?

Officer Barnes let out a small, sardonic laugh, recognising the ex-lawyer's discomfort at her impolite comments. Phoenix continued to glower at her, but decided wisely to keep his thoughts to himself.

"The form's fine," Officer Barnes said, sighing disinterestedly.

"Good, then can I begin my visit?" Phoenix snapped.

She scowled lightly, turning back to her computer.

"Fine," she snapped back. "Who are you here to see?"

Godot's name flashed through Phoenix's mind, but when he opened his mouth to speak, a completely different name emerged.

"Morgan Fey," he said coolly.

* * *

As Morgan entered the visitors room, Phoenix felt his fingernails digging into his palms. He hadn't even realised how tightly he had been clenching his fists. With his face fixed into a permanent scowl, he surveyed the calm visage of the woman that had ruined Maya's life. Prison wasn't punishment enough for all the misery this woman had caused. He was going to make her pay if it was the last thing he did.

Noticing Phoenix's scowl, the smallest trace of a satisfied smirk ghosted Morgan's lips.

"To what do I owe this pleasure, Mr Wright?" Morgan said politely, as if Phoenix's visit was some sort of wonderful social call.

"I didn't think you'd come when they told you it was me," he seethed.

"Don't be so silly," Morgan said with a smile. "You and I are old friends."

Phoenix bit down on his tongue in an attempt to calm his anger.

"It's so nice to get visitors," she said with a smile, her voice dripping with faux sugary sweetness.

Phoenix felt his blood pressure rising. Why had he asked to see her? He knew she was going to be like this. He took a deep breath, trying his best to calm himself. He was here to get information. Morgan was a smart woman, but she was not infallible. She was incredibly conceited, a fact which he planned to use against her. He knew that the one chance he had to get her to slip up was to trick her into boasting about recent events that she had had a hand in.

Morgan took Phoenix's silence as an opportunity to bait him further.

"So I read about your last case in the newspaper," she began. "How terribly sad."

She paused, delighting in Phoenix's furious expression.

"I wonder if I could ask for a retrial now? I mean, seeing as you're a forger and all."

"Not a chance," Phoenix said icily.

"I'd say that's out of your hands, Mr Wright." Morgan said dryly. "Your days of putting people behind bars appear to be behind you."

"I wouldn't be too sure about that, Morgan." Phoenix said. "I've still got one more person to put away before I'll hang it up. Badge or no badge."

"And who might that be?" she asked, bemused.

"Your son." Phoenix said bluntly.

Morgan eyed him impassively for a moment, before speaking.

"I'm afraid you must be confused," she lied expertly. "I don't have a son."

"Whatever you say, Morgan." Phoenix said with a light shrug. He could have argued the point about Andre but he knew when it came to Morgan it would be far more effective to withhold as much information as possible about what he knew and what was going on. He knew he could rattle her just as much as she could him. Two could play at her game.

"So where is my niece today," Morgan said, lacing her hands together as she changed the subject. "It's very rare that I see you without her somewhere close by."

Any feeling of satisfaction that Phoenix felt at having held his knowledge of Andre's parentage over Morgan's head disappeared in an instant when she mentioned Maya so casually. His composure slipping, he slammed his hands down on the desk in front of him, breathing heavily.

"You know exactly where she is!" he spat. "How dare you even speak of her? Do you have any idea what you have done?"

Morgan was taken aback, her eyes widening ever so slightly in surprise at Phoenix's sudden outburst. Unbeknownst to Phoenix, her reaction was genuine. She had not been afforded any information on Althea and Andre's plans, and had no idea of Maya's whereabouts at all.

"You, Althea and Andre have ruined her life!" Phoenix continued angrily. "I'll get her back you know, you can't keep her from me."

Morgan remained silent, trying to compile the facts from the emotional snippets given to her by the distraught lawyer. So it appeared that Maya had been sent somewhere, where Wright was unable to see her. This fact had upset the man to the point of uncharacteristic emotional outbursts and desperation, which suggested the possibility that a romantic relationship had developed between the two. He had also mentioned Althea, which could very well mean that the old woman was working with Andre knowingly, despite the instruction to Andre to keep their plan to himself.

Morgan smiled to herself and shook her head. It was just like that old witch to undermine her plans. She no longer needed to wonder why she had yet to hear from Andre regarding the next phase of her plan. Althea was likely leading the boy in her own direction.

"Well?" Phoenix snapped. "Don't you have anything to say for yourself? Surely you want to gloat or something?"

Morgan sighed, shaking her head gently at him.

"And what good would that do?" she said simply. "I can tell you that I had nothing to do with Maya being sent away until I am blue in the face, but you have already made up your mind about me. I don't even know where she is."

"And you expect me to believe that?" Phoenix cried incredulously. "You don't give me much credit, do you Morgan?"

Phoenix continued to seethe while Morgan simply stared at him emotionlessly. The silence was heavy in the room.

"Next time you want to underestimate me, Morgan, you just remember who put you in here," Phoenix spat, his voice filled with venom.

"You remind me of him," Morgan noted after a small pause.

"Who?" Phoenix asked, annoyed.

"Sebastian." Morgan said, immediately noticing the recognition in Phoenix's eyes. "I see you know who that is, I'm surprised."

Phoenix's stunned silence willed her to continue.

"The fire in your eyes… that unbreakable spirit… the quest for the truth," she elaborated. "Just like him. Such a handsome man. He was so ridiculously in love with my sister. He would have given anything for her. Much the same way that I believe you would for my niece. Isn't it odd how history repeats itself?"

Morgan tilted her head slightly, raising an eyebrow.

"It would be a terrible shame if it were to continue to repeat itself… definitively."

Phoenix eyed Morgan coldly.

"What do you mean?" he asked carefully.

Morgan sat back in her chair, recognising that she was playing with fire, but unable to resist the urge to give the pesky lawyer just enough information to drive him insane.

"Sebastian's poor choices caused him a lot of trouble. It would be an awful shame for you to find yourself in similar trouble, Mr Wright," she drawled with mock concern. "I would suggest that you head back to the city and forget about Kurain, and my niece."

"Never." Phoenix said resolutely. Morgan Fey didn't scare him one bit.

"Your loyalty to her is touching, but I can assure you, just like I told Sebastian of my sister – _Mystic_ Maya isn't worth the effort."

Rage bubbled up within Phoenix like a volcano. It took every inch of resolve that he had left to not throw his chair at the glass separating the two visiting rooms.

"Maya is a thousand times the woman you are!" Phoenix cried. "She's kind, wonderful and caring. You wouldn't even know what that means!"

"Just like him," Morgan repeated with a light shrug, ignoring his insult. "Your devotion is sickening. Just be warned that bad things happen when people like you get in the way."

Phoenix narrowed his eyes at Morgan, wondering what exactly she was playing at. She was feeding him small pieces of information about Sebastian, almost as if she _wanted_ him to piece them together.

"You know what happened to him… don't you?" Phoenix asked.

Morgan barely reacted.

"He fell. It was an accident."

Her flippant description of Maya's father's death combined with her previous warnings set off all sorts of alarm bells in Phoenix's mind. Morgan had always wanted everything that Misty had. Her position and her power to begin with… so why not her husband too? She had already mentioned how handsome she thought Sebastian was and how she had told him that Misty wasn't worth his effort. But he had been too devoted to his wife to take any notice of Morgan. The pieces were starting to fall scarily into place.

"You… you killed him… didn't you?" Phoenix stammered.

Morgan laced her fingers together again, meeting his shocked gaze defiantly as he continued to piece everything together in his mind. Slipping his hand into his pocket, he quickly found his magatama. Closing his hand around the stone, he wasn't at all surprised to see a series of locks and chains appear in front of Morgan. This woman probably had more psyche locks than he could crack in a lifetime.

"Whether I did or whether I did not is something that can never be proven."

Morgan knew she probably should have denied it, but baiting the lawyer was far too enjoyable. And besides, what she had said had been correct. There was no way he or anyone else could prove any connection between herself and the death of her sisters husband.

Phoenix felt winded.

"You're insane," he breathed in disbelief. "What is wrong with you?"

"Nothing is wrong with me Mr Wright," Morgan said calmly. "I have always wanted what is best for Kurain. My sister and her pathetic offspring have just always gotten in the way."

He stood quickly, the chair he had been sitting on clattering to the floor loudly. He eyed Morgan with utter disbelief, shaking his head as he backed towards the door. He rapped quickly on the heavy door to signal to the guard outside that he was done with his visit. Morgan remained still, her eyes locked with his with an almost mocking gleam. Phoenix knew that there was no way that he was ever letting her near Maya ever again. She would be due for parole in a few years, but he vowed to do everything in his power to make sure that she was never released. Ever. It was now crystal clear that Maya's life, and perhaps even the lives of her future children, would depend on it.

Ducking past the guard who opened the door, Phoenix charged towards the men's room just outside the visitors area. Once inside he turned on the cold faucet full blast. Splashing cold water on his face, he glanced up at his reflection in the dirty mirror. The man staring back at him was almost unrecognisable. He looked pale… almost frightened. His stomach knotted furiously as he realised that almost every tear that Maya had cried for her family could be traced back to one Morgan Fey.

He clutched at the basin as a feeling of utter helplessness washed over him. Even in prison, Morgan's influence was still so far reaching. She had just practically admitted to murdering Sebastian Parker, and there was nothing he could do about it. How could he ever keep Maya safe? How could he sleep at night if she wasn't with him? Morgan wasn't going to give up and it didn't make a difference that she was locked up. She was a master manipulator, always quick to find someone else to do her dirty work.

Phoenix clenched his fists as he glanced up once more at his reflection. He had to get to Maya as quickly as possible.

Exiting the bathroom, he headed towards the exit when Mia's words flashed through his mind.

"_The Hazakurain Incident is the key…"_

Phoenix stalled, cursing under his breath. He remained still for a moment before turning back towards reception. There was no way that he could leave until he had seen Godot, even though he would much rather skip the exercise. He had made a promise to Mia and she was right – the incident at Hazakurain could be the key to removing Morgan from the picture permanently.

"Back again Mr Wright?" Officer Barnes asked with a raised eyebrow as Phoenix reached the reception desk.

"Yes," he said with a curt nod. "I need to see Godot."

* * *

Phoenix couldn't help but feel some trepidation as he took a seat in the visitors room for the second time that day. He was still quite rattled from his visit with Morgan and silently hoped that it wasn't outwardly visible. Godot was still a prosecutor at heart and would more than likely pounce on any sign of weakness, especially from him. It didn't matter that he had previously earned the man's respect; he knew that Godot was the type of man that would constantly test him. Acquiring his help was not going to be easy, but Phoenix couldn't give up.

This was for Maya.

"Wright," Godot said with a nod as entered the room, taking a seat at the empty desk. He took a sip from the coffee mug in his hand and placed it in front of him.

"Godot," Phoenix said, returning the nod. "Or would you prefer Diego?"

Godot shook his head.

"The man you see in front of you is the man you get."

"That's a shame." Phoenix said with a light shrug. "Because I have questions for Diego."

"Well you're in luck," Godot said, flashing his trademark grin. "I knew Diego quite well. Perhaps I can help."

Phoenix was relieved to have caught Godot in what appeared to be a good mood. He hadn't even called him 'Trite'. He took a deep breath, readying himself for the conversation he was about to begin. He really had no idea how Godot was going to react to such personal questions.

"I need to know what happened on the day of the fire at Hazakurain." Phoenix said bluntly, cutting to the chase. There was no point in beating around the bush. Either Godot would help him or he wouldn't.

"What is going on, Wright?" Godot asked seriously. He knew there was no way Phoenix could have known anything about his past with Hazakurain if not for Mia, and Mia wouldn't be around unless there was trouble.

"Look, are you going to help me or not?" Phoenix asked with a sigh. He really didn't have time for games or long winded explanations.

"That depends on whether or not you deserve my help." Godot said simply.

Phoenix groaned inwardly. Why couldn't this just be easy? Why couldn't Godot just answer him so that he could leave? He needed to find Maya, and these stupid games would just slow everything down.

"Look Godot, Maya is in trouble. Either you'll help me or you won't." Phoenix snapped. "I don't care either way, but Mia sent me to you. She said you would help me. She obviously sees something in you that I don't because I knew coming here would be nothing but a hassle."

Godot watched on in silence looking mildly amused as Phoenix continued his tirade.

"I don't know if you know this, but Mia loved you and she's counting on you to help me save Maya's life. I'm doing everything I can, but there are so many damn secrets in the Fey family that it's near on impossible to piece things together without help. I know you grew up in Hazakurain and I know you know about the fire. So just humour me here and help me fill in the gaps and I'll get out of your hair."

Godot's continued silence simply served to frustrate Phoenix further.

"To be perfectly honest," Phoenix snapped, "You owe Maya in a big way after what happened at Hazakurain so I'm not going to sit here and let you look down on me or play your stupid mind games when her life hangs in the balance. I don't care what you think of me and I don't care whether you think I'm worthy to be Mia's successor. So save your veiled insults and coffee themed riddles and just tell me what you know, otherwise I'll just leave right now."

Phoenix took a deep breath as he finished, eyeing Godot seriously.

"Are you done?" Godot asked, unaffected. Phoenix remained unmoving, refusing to back down.

"I've gotta say, Wright, that was definitely something," he quipped, nodding appreciatively. "You might be a stronger blend than I anticipated. I'll tell you what I know, but only if you tell me what's going on."

Phoenix sighed, raking a hand through his spikes.

"Deal."

"Good." Godot nodded. "So tell me what you know and I'll do the same."

Phoenix sighed as he began retelling what Bikini had told them.

"Sister Bikini told us about the fire. She said that she summoned a spirit that tried to burn the place down. She also told us that… that your mother died that day."

Godot remained silent as Phoenix tried to predict how he would react to the mention of his mother.

"You're right about one thing," Godot began. "My mother died that day."

He paused as Phoenix watched him intently, waiting for him to continue.

"But Angel didn't start that fire. Morgan did."

* * *

Hazakurain  
July 14, 1993  
One Day Before The Fire

Morgan's concentration was interrupted by soft knocking on her office door. Frowning with slight annoyance, she instructed the person waiting outside to enter. Luciana Armando opened the door and scurried into the room with an armful of paperwork. Her seven year old son Diego trailed behind her helping her with more papers.

"Hello Master Morgan," Luciana said happily, moving towards her desk. "I've finished with the last months expenses but there were quite a few transfers that I couldn't make sense of," she finished, placing the pile down on Morgan's desk.

Luciana took the pile of papers that Diego was holding and placed them on top of the pile she had carried. Morgan looked on in stunned silence as Luciana began to point out entries on the bank statement that she had marked with a red pen.

"You see here, here and here there are transfers from the account, but I cannot understand what they are for." Luciana explained. "There are no receipts so I am a little confused. Perhaps I am doing this wrong. I am still learning."

Morgan felt panic well up within her. No one was meant to see these statements and no one was meant to know about those transfers. It was plain to see that her marriage to Daniel Hawthorne was failing. With twins on the way she had decided that she needed to organise an insurance policy of sorts. Luciana's interference could very well end up destroying everything.

"Where did you get these?" Morgan inquired as calmly as she could manage.

"Oh!" Luciana exclaimed. "Audrina told me I could help you with these. She said that with Daniel here and the babies coming soon you could use the help. You see, I'm learning the bookkeeping so that I can earn money to help Diego in college."

Morgan fidgeted with her hands in her lap.

"And Audrina… she has helped you with this paperwork?" Morgan asked, trying her best to sound casual.

"Oh no," Luciana said, waving her hands dismissively. "She said she thought I could handle it. She just took the pile from your desk. I do hope you don't mind Master Morgan. We were just trying to be helpful."

Morgan took a deep breath. This was not good.

"Thank you Luciana. I'll finish the rest," she managed calmly.

"Very well Master Morgan," Luciana said with a smile. "Please let me know if I can help you again. This is very good experience for me."

Luciana gave a small nod before leaving the room, with Diego following silently behind her.

Morgan let out the breath she had been holding as Luciana closed the door behind her.

This was not good at all.

* * *

"Morgan?" Phoenix asked. "You're certain?"

"I saw it with my own eyes." Godot said firmly.

Phoenix didn't know what to do or say. This was a huge revelation.

Godot picked up his coffee and took a long sip. He'd kept the story of what happened at Hazakurain to himself for too many years. It wasn't supposed to be this way. He'd worked tirelessly piecing together the clues and broken memories of what happened that day. When Mia had walked through the offices of Grossberg & Co it was almost like it had been a sign. He knew that she would be the one to help him bring Morgan Fey to justice. But it had taken too long to get Mia to listen. By the time Mia was finally ready to hear what he had to say, Morgan's own daughter had stolen their chance to make Morgan pay for her crimes.

Fate was so very, very cruel.

Looking up at Phoenix, Godot realised that perhaps it wasn't too late for him to do some good. If the fire that day was somehow connected to the trouble that Maya was in now, he owed it to her to help. Exhaling loudly, he placed his mug back down on the table.

"I was seven years old," he began. "The day that it all happened... I can remember wondering where my mother was. You see, lunchtime had been and gone but she hadn't called me to eat. I asked some of the acolytes if they had seen her, but none of them had. I ran into Mystic Amelia in the North West hallway who told me that my mother was in Morgan's office. I figured she was just caught up with doing more bookkeeping work. She'd been learning. I ran over there straight away."

He paused, and even though Phoenix couldn't see his eyes he could tell that these memories were painful for the former attorney. Godot gathered his thoughts and continued.

"When I got there, the office was in darkness. I wasn't allowed into Morgan's office but I went in regardless. I couldn't find my mother. Not right away anyway."

"I knocked a paperweight off Morgan's desk. It rolled underneath so I went to pick it up. That's when I found my mothers body."

"Oh god…" Phoenix said, covering his mouth in shock. "That must have been… I can't even begin to…"

"I tried shaking her but she wouldn't wake up." Godot continued. "I started to panic. Then I heard the door handle rattling. I was just a child. I was terrified, so I hid behind a screen in the corner. Morgan came back with Angel. They talked for a while, and then I saw Morgan hit her over the head. She then spread some sort of flammable liquid around the room and set it alight. Once she left the room, I managed to escape out the window."

"What did you do?" Phoenix asked, frowning heavily.

"I ran until I passed out. I was picked up by the police... I don't even have any idea how much later that was... hours? Days maybe? I was so traumatised that I couldn't speak. They had no idea who I was or how to find my family so I was eventually put into foster care. It was five years before I uttered another word."

"Wow. That's just… just…" Phoenix stammered. "...terrible..."

Phoenix felt his shoulders slump under the weight of this new information and the pain that Godot must have suffered as a child.

"You never returned to Hazakurain?"

Godot shook his head.

"What was there to return to? My mother was dead, and at the time I believed Angel was too. It wasn't until I discovered Morgan's plot to kill Maya that I knew that I had to go back there, which was difficult, but at the same time it was such a relief to know that Angel had survived."

"Did you see her... at Hazakurain I mean? Did you speak to Sister Bikini?" Phoenix asked.

Godot shook his head.

"I didn't want her to know what I had become," he sighed heavily. "Angel always believed I was destined to be this great man who would change the world, but I failed her. I couldn't let her see that."

Phoenix nodded in understanding.

"Misty recognised me though." Godot noted. "When I contacted her about what I had discovered that Morgan had planned for Maya, she knew right away who I was. She told me later on that she had been keeping tabs on her daughters over the years. She knew all about what had happened to me, my connection to Mia and my history with Hazakurain."

Phoenix frowned. He would never understand why Misty didn't just return to her daughters once the media circus surrounding DL-6 died down. Maya would have given anything to have her mother back, especially after Mia's death. Everyone that inhabited Kurain seemed to be under the impression that the worst possible thing they could do was bring shame to the reputation of the village, which he thought was just plain stupid. Surely the worst thing a mother could do was walk away from her children.

"Why the frown, Wright?" Godot inquired, noting his expression. "Misty was quite fond of you, you know. Kept telling me to go easy on you."

Phoenix was visibly surprised. He'd barely spoken to Misty... or Elise rather, while they were both at Hazakurain. But if she had been watching her daughters as Godot had suggested then she likely would have known about all the times he had rescued Maya from trouble. God knows it had happened enough times to be noteworthy.

Phoenix found himself feeling pleased with the fact that Misty had liked him, even though it meant very little. Maya cherished the memories of her mother dearly and her approval of Phoenix would have no doubt pleased her as well.

"You didn't listen to her though," Phoenix said with a small smirk.

"Of course not." Godot admitted. "I had my own issues with you. But we aren't here to talk about that."

Phoenix nodded. Godot was right, and he had more questions to ask.

"So you think it was Morgan that killed your mother?"

He already knew the answer, but he wanted to hear it from the man himself.

"There isn't a doubt in my mind." Godot said resolutely, his grip tightening around the mug in his hand. Phoenix prayed that it could withhold the pressure.

"Didn't you go to the police?" he asked. "Even if it was years later it doesn't change the fact that what you saw was a pretty big deal. Surely someone would have listened..."

Godot laughed to himself and shook his head. Phoenix began to wonder what on earth was so funny.

"I think you're forgetting something important."

He paused as Phoenix awaited his great revelation.

"Proof." Godot finished simply. "It's the most important thing in our profession, although I've never seen someone able to bluff their way through a case without it like you can."

Phoenix rolled his eyes, choosing to ignore the veiled insult of his courtroom prowess.

"I blocked out the memories of what happened that day for a long time, but eventually I started dreaming about it." Godot explained further. "Then I started remembering. By the time I started to piece things together I was heading into college. Who was going to listen to the broken, hazy memories of a seven year old boy? So I decided to go into law. The only way I could think of to uncover the truth and bring Morgan to justice was to do it myself."

Phoenix sat back in his chair, shaking his head. He and Mia had believed Morgan to be responsible for the fire, based on pure suspicion alone, but actually having it confirmed was something else entirely.

"I'm so sorry," Phoenix said, still somewhat at a loss for what to say. "But thank you for telling me... for helping me."

When Mia had said that Godot had been there on the day of the fire, Phoenix had no idea that what he had seen would be so terrible.

Godot merely shrugged. He had long suspected that the time to tell his story would come eventually and he'd had many years to come to terms with what had happened that day.

"Just because life brews you a bitter cup, doesn't mean you should force everyone else to drink it." Godot remarked cryptically.

"Umm... yes." Phoenix bluffed, pretending to understand what the enigmatic coffee enthusiast had meant. "One thing is still bothering me though."

"What's that?" Godot asked.

"Well... motive I guess." Phoenix shrugged. "What reason could Morgan possibly have had to kill your mother? From what Sister Bikini has told us of Luciana I'm pretty sure everyone adored her. I know Morgan is crazy, but she's not that brand of crazy."

Godot sighed, the sound laced with annoyance.

"Really, Wright?" he asked sarcastically. "I would have thought you would have figured it out by now."

Phoenix swallowed hard. Had he missed something important or was Godot just messing with him again?

"I... I'm afraid I haven't." Phoenix said, frowning lightly. "Did I miss something here?"

"Mia's files." Godot stated simply. "You found them, didn't you?"

Phoenix nodded.

"And you still haven't pieced everything together?" Godot asked.

"Not yet... we couldn't seem to link everything together."

Godot sighed in exasperation.

"All the pieces are there now, Wright. Think. The bank statements... the huge unexplainable transfers... my mother learning to do the books... Do I need to spell anything else out for you?"

Phoenix felt like a lightbulb lit up in his brain. But with the realisation of Morgan's motive came the crushing weight of the truth.

"You mean..." Phoenix gasped. "...you mean to tell me that this all of happened because... because of money?"

"Disgusting isn't it?" Godot quipped, picking up his coffee and draining the remaining contents in one gulp.

"Morgan killed your mother, tried to kill Sister Bikini and then lit a fire that killed 23 acolytes simply because she was embezzling money from Hazakurain?" Phoenix repeated, still shocked at how terrible the truth was.

"Everything adds up." Godot said. "And given what you know about Morgan from your own experiences is it really that hard to believe?"

No, it wasn't. Morgan's arranged attempt on her own niece's life had proven that. Her distinct sociopathic tendencies were a psychiatrists dream. The woman clearly had no real division between right and wrong. Phoenix remembered what she had hinted to him earlier about Sebastian's death. A cold shiver ran down his spine.

"But I have one more question for you." Godot said, his tone deadly serious. "What does any of this have to do with Maya? That fire was twenty five years ago."

"Despite the fact that she's locked away, Morgan's still pulling strings on the outside." Phoenix sighed. "She's still trying to manoeuvre Pearls into the master's position by removing Maya. Mia thought that this Hazakurain incident was the key to getting her taken care of for good."

Godot nodded.

"I'm afraid I've told you all I know, but it's up to you to find the proof. I'm not much use to anyone in here."

"Are you still appealing your murder one?" Phoenix asked, frowning lightly.

"Not much point," Godot replied. "They only see the black and white of the situation, which is nothing more than the fact that I killed Misty Fey."

"But you saved Maya's life." Phoenix countered.

Godot shrugged.

"Once again, that's something I can't prove. I can't prove Maya was in danger and I really can't prove that Dahlia Hawthorne was the one that I stabbed."

He paused for a moment, his grip tightening around the empty coffee mug.

"It's all about the proof. And I need you to wrap this one up for me, Wright. Morgan has caused enough pain. It's time to end this."

Silence enveloped the room. Realising there was nothing more to be said, Phoenix stood and prepared to leave. Godot remained motionless, staring down at the bottom of his empty cup before glancing up at Phoenix again.

"By the way, it's a shame about your badge." he said simply.

Phoenix was surprised. He had expected Godot to mention the Gramayre case, but he hadn't expected him to be understanding or supportive about it.

"I honestly expected you to be hurling insults at me thick and fast for sullying Mia's name." Phoenix said, shaking his head.

"I don't believe everything I read, Wright," he said with a light shrug.

Phoenix nodded appreciatively. It appeared he had been wrong about Godot after all.

* * *

Phoenix stepped off the train back at Hazakurain feeling utterly exhausted, but new found determination pushed him forward. He had promised Godot that he would find Maya and stop Morgan, this time for good and he intended to make good on that promise. Morgan's reign of terror had gone on long enough. It was time to end this.

He felt his phone begin to vibrate in his pocket before the Steel Samurai theme reached his ears. He smiled softly to himself. It no longer hurt his heart to hear the annoying tune. Maya didn't seem so far away now. The caller id signalled that it was Gumshoe who was calling. He answered it quickly.

"Gumshoe."

"Hey Pal!" the detective said cheerily. "Gee pal, you sound a lot better. It's good to hear your voice again."

"Thanks." Phoenix said earnestly. Gumshoe had no doubt been worrying about him since the trial went awry. The last time they had spoken had not been under the best circumstances. "What can I do for you?"

"Well it's more what I can do for you," Gumshoe explained.

"Go on…" Phoenix urged.

"I have some information about Sebastian Fey. We found an autopsy report."

Phoenix's interest was immediately piqued. Morgan had alluded to some kind of fall, but it would be interesting to hear the official cause of death.

"Looks like he fell from some scaffolding at a house on Woodlands Road. Cause of death was a broken neck. It also looks like he hit his head on the way down."

"Thanks Gumshoe," Phoenix said. He remembered that the house on Woodlands Road was the one he had taken Maya to. Sebastian must have been working out there when he fell.

"Looks like it was just a nasty accident, pal." Gumshoe said sadly.

"I'm not so sure about that, Gumshoe." Phoenix said, narrowing his eyes. "I had a rather interesting visit with Morgan Fey today. Let's just say she knew an awful lot about the circumstances of his death."

"Gee pal, maybe we oughta look into that." Gumshoe said.

"I think you should." Phoenix agreed. "Say, Gumshoe… are you able to monitor her calls?"

"I might have to call in a few favours, but it shouldn't be too hard." Gumshoe replied.

"Great." Phoenix said. "I'm worried she's going to try and pull something soon. It might be an idea to keep an eye on her."

"I'll see what I can do." Gumshoe said.

"Thanks Detective." Phoenix said, before hanging up the phone.

Phoenix took the steps to the main hall two at a time. Pushing open the wooden doors, he strode inside, heading towards the back where Sister Bikini was waiting. Mia rushed to meet him.

"How did it go? What happened?" she asked quickly.

"We've got problems." Phoenix said, frowning heavily.

"What? What's going on?" she asked, her eyes widening with concern.

"There might be more to this than we originally thought." Phoenix explained. "Morgan started that fire. Diego watched her do it."

"Diego?" Bikini said, her head snapping up in recognition. "What do you mean? How do you know that?"

"No time to explain right now." Phoenix said quickly. "I need two acolytes right away."

"What for?" Mia asked. Phoenix was moving way too fast and she was having trouble keeping up.

"We need Lillian back here," he answered. "And I also need someone to channel Luciana Armando."

* * *

Andre picked up the receiver and dialled the number of the prison. The guard fetched Morgan immediately, as he had expected. He had no idea what kind of deal his mother had struck with the prison guard, but whatever it was, it seemed to be working. He had never had any trouble at all getting a hold of her, no matter what time of day it was.

"Andre," she drawled. "It's been a while since I have heard from you."

"I suppose it has," he responded. "I have been quite busy."

"So I hear," Morgan said cryptically. "I hear that you've gotten rid of Mystic Maya."

"Where did you hear that from?" Andre asked.

"I have my sources." Morgan said simply. "Congratulations are in order, I suppose."

Andre said nothing, opting to continue with the speech he had already planned before phoning his mother.

"Such pleasantries are not necessary," he stated formally. "I am, however, phoning to tell you that I no longer require your assistance. I have already worked out how to fix the problems within Kurain and I have found your plans to be over complicated and full of potential weaknesses."

Morgan was taken aback. It seemed her son had finally grown a spine.

"Is that so?"

"Yes," he responded seriously. "I believe that a simple approach is in order. I also believe that seeing as you are already in prison, not only are you a liability, but your plans also set a precedent for failure. I will not fail and I will not go to prison."

Morgan sighed inwardly. Who did this child think he was? Did he not understand who he was dealing with?

Andre waited on the other end of the line for his mother to respond. After a long pause, Morgan finally spoke, her voice brimming with emotion.

"Oh Andre!" she cried. "I feel… I feel so proud. I feel like I can finally call you my son."

"What are you talking about?" he asked.

"I am so proud of you!" she continued on. "You're standing up for yourself!"

Andre was puzzled. Was his mother really accepting him after all this time?

"My son…" she gushed. "You've proven that you are my boy, my blood, after all. No child of mine would allow themselves to be controlled. Andre, you have passed my final test!"

"Really?" he asked. "That's what all of this was?"

"Yes." Morgan said. "I needed to know if I could trust you to uphold the good name of Kurain now that I am unable to. I am so pleased to know that I can."

"Alright then…" Andre said, his confused frown evident in his voice. "But this doesn't change anything. I'm still going to finish things my way."

"Of course, of course." Morgan said. "So how do you plan on _finishing things_?"

"Mystic Maya needs to be permanently taken care of." Andre said flatly.

Morgan was surprised and more than a little bit impressed. Andre planned to permanently remove Maya. That could only mean one thing.

"You're going to kill her?" she asked quietly, glancing over her shoulder to ensure that the guard wasn't listening.

"Yes." Andre said. "She is isolated out at Ami Fey's cabin at the moment. It will be the perfect opportunity."

"Perhaps an unfortunate fire is in order?" Morgan suggested.

"That will do quite nicely." Andre agreed.

"I am proud to call you my son." Morgan said sweetly.

Andre sighed softly to himself. He had waited so long to hear that.

"Thank you… mother."

* * *

Morgan let the smile fall from her face as she hung up the phone. The stupid child was even easier to manipulate than his drunken wretch of a father. A few sweet words were all it took, and he was off once again to do her bidding, without even knowing it.

With Maya dead, Pearl would be next in line for the position of Master. It was all she had ever wanted all along. And given the pesky lawyer's visit today, for Maya to perish in a fire would be almost poetic.

She laughed callously to herself as the guard led her back to her cell.

When would these imbeciles ever learn?

* * *

**A/N: Don't worry. Some much needed Phoenix/Maya goodness coming up in the next chapter. **


	36. Lost and Found

**A/N: I'm late again, I know. But I think this chapter is worth the wait. I'm not too good with the mushy stuff, so I hope this came out better than I think it did.**

**Thank you to everyone who has kept reading and reviewing. Every review makes me smile. We're nearly done now. Not long to go.**

* * *

Phoenix found Mia's silence heart wrenching.

She blinked heavily, as if the simple action alone was tremendously difficult. It had been a few minutes since Phoenix had finished retelling all that Godot had told him along with the shocking details of his visit with Morgan. They were long, excruciating minutes drawn out by the silent pain of a woman whose heart was breaking all over again.

She didn't need to speak. Phoenix knew what she was thinking. Nothing was constant anymore. The facts kept changing and it didn't matter how long you had believed in something, or how important that belief was. None of that mattered. Mia's father's death was no longer an accident. She could no longer hold on to the comforting belief that his death was something unavoidable. He had been taken from her, and from Maya. Phoenix knew that in death she had likely met him again, but too many living years had been spent suffering. Misty's heartbreak, Mia's own grief, Maya's loneliness – it was all Morgan's fault.

Phoenix sighed audibly as he scanned the room aimlessly. He didn't know what to say to Mia to make her feel better. Really, was there anything that he could say that would remotely stand a chance of helping her? He hoped that Sister Bikini's return with the acolytes he had requested would help distract Mia from the memories she was no doubt reliving painfully, although there was still the business of the fire to explain to Bikini, which he knew that she would probably react to in a similar manner.

This was all so hard, so draining. But he knew he had to stay strong for everyone else. He had to fix this. Maya needed him and he would never let her down.

Guilt flashed through him as he considered that perhaps telling Mia the truth about Sebastian's death was a bad idea. The thought dissipated quickly. She deserved to know what really happened. Somehow, some way, Morgan would have to pay for what she had done.

He watched in silence as her shoulders slumped and her head fell. He felt his fists clench at his sides. His eyebrows knitted together closely in a look of fierce determination. Her pain was fuelling his anger.

"Everything… All this is because of her." Mia whispered eventually.

The pang he felt in his chest at her words surprised him. It was almost like he could physically feel her heartbreak. He wondered how Maya was going to take the news. It was probably more than she could handle right now. The mere thought of Maya's tears did nothing but anger Phoenix further.

"No more." Phoenix said grimly, his expression hardened. "Too many people have been hurt or killed because of her and I can't let this happen anymore. Not to anyone else. Not to Maya."

"What can we do?" Mia said, defeated. Phoenix sighed sadly at his former mentor. It really hurt him to see her like this. Mia was strong. Mia was capable. Mia could leap tall buildings in a single bound. The woman sitting before him was broken and dejected. Crushed under the weight of a truth she could never have imagined was so vile.

"Godot told me that proof is the key, and he's right. We can't do anything without something solid. I have a feeling that we're close, but there's something missing. There has to be a way to prove that everything can be traced back to Morgan."

Mia straightened herself, regaining some composure. She sniffed lightly and wiped at her eyes.

"We have to do this right this time, Phoenix. No mercy," she said stoically.

"I know," he nodded.

Morgan was still capable of far too much even though she was in prison. Even locked up, as long as she lived she would still pose a threat to Maya. Phoenix was not the type of man to wish death on anyone, but he knew that this time they needed Morgan taken care of for good. There was no other way. If they could pin her with a murder charge, she would be executed.

"Chief," Phoenix began. "Tell me, do you have contact with your parents on the other side?"

Mia nodded, but quickly frowned when she realised where Phoenix was heading with his line of questioning.

"I do, but don't get excited. The only way for you to get information out of them is to have someone channel them. There are certain rules… It's difficult to explain. There are questions we can't ask and things I'm not permitted to repeat. We communicate differently on this side. I can't ask my father anything about his death."

"Damn it." Phoenix swore, raking his hand through his hair. "We're going to have to get someone to channel him then. Your mother too. But I don't have time for this. Maya has been out there in those woods long enough. I need to go and get her. Morgan knows she's out there alone. It's not safe."

Mia nodded, still staring down at her hands in her lap. They were so close to finally bringing everything to an end. She could feel it. She fought the urge to flee back to the other side where it was safe and warm. There was no pain there, no tears or heartache. But she had to stay. She had to see this out. She could still help, and as long as that was the case, she wasn't going anywhere.

She looked up at Phoenix, surprised at the strength she saw in his posture. His back was straight and his arms crossed as he watched the door, waiting for Sister Bikini's return. His jaw was set in a hard line and his eyes cold, rendering his thoughts all too transparent. It was then that Mia knew that this would be the last time she would be summoned under such circumstances. Phoenix would end this.

"Phoenix…I…" Mia began. Phoenix looked over to where she sat, his expression softening.

"I knew I could count on you to protect her," she finished, her voice heavy with emotion.

Phoenix smiled wanly, placing a hand on Mia's shoulder, conveying his gratitude at her faith in him with a small nod. They weren't out of the woods yet. He wouldn't rest until Maya was safe with him and Morgan was gone for good.

But right now they had to focus on clearing up the events of the first Hazakurain Incident. Sister Bikini would return at any minute with the acolytes and there was still one rather touchy subject he needed to run by Mia.

"Bikini doesn't know..." he broached carefully, "...about what happened to Diego."

Mia glanced up at him, her silence willing him to continue.

"I don't think he wants her to know," he finished.

"She didn't know he was here? That he was the one that..." Mia trailed off, alluding to the more recent Hazakurain Incident.

"No," Phoenix said, shaking his head. "He didn't want to disappoint her. I don't know if I can bring myself to ruin that, but we have to tell Sister Bikini that he was there on the day of the fire and that we have seen him since."

"Well then, maybe we should leave out a few details when we talk to her. It probably wouldn't hurt to be a little vague on the details. We don't have to lie, we can just... well... leave a few things out," she suggested.

"That's what I was thinking," Phoenix sighed.

"He should be remembered as Diego Armando. He never deserved anything that happened to him after Dahlia poisoned him," Mia added sadly.

Godot had done him a huge favour by telling him what he knew about the day of the fire. Leading his mother and Sister Bikini to remember him in the way that he wanted was the least Phoenix could do.

"How did everything end up going so horribly wrong, Phoenix?" Mia said rhetorically, sighing heavily.

She shook her head sadly as silence filled the room once more. It was true, they had all seen so much heartache and sorrow, but he also knew that in between there had also been a lot of joy. He had found love where he had never before thought to look for it, and he knew that Mia had too, however fleeting that might have been.

"You were right, Mia." Phoenix said eventually, smiling softly.

"About what?"

"About Diego," he replied. "He is a good man. I shouldn't have been so quick to judge him. He loved you so much that he'd do anything to protect Maya. It's only now that I know the same kind of love that I can finally see that properly."

Mia smiled sadly as a tear broke free, coursing down her cheek. She said nothing in response, instead using all of her concentration to hold back the tears that were threatening to flood forth. Phoenix moved closer to her, reaching out to wipe away her tear with his thumb as he offered her a smile.

"Everything is going to be okay," he said softly. She made a small noise before resting her head against his hand. He stroked her hair absently. She'd been through so much today.

The moment was broken when Bikini finally entered the room with Jess and Deanna following closely behind. Phoenix dropped his hand back to his side, straightening his shoulders as the trio approached. Mia also straightened in her chair, trying her best to clear her mind. It was time to get down to business.

"Sister Bikini," Phoenix said, "Before we begin, you'd better sit down."

Sister Bikini's eyes darted around the room nervously as she wondered how bad the news was that Phoenix was about to deliver. She settled herself next to Mia, who wrapped a reassuring arm around her shoulders. Deanna and Jess sat also, their expressions concerned over the tense situation they had been summoned into.

Phoenix stood silent for a moment as he gathered his words. He dropped down to a crouch in front of Sister Bikini, taking one of her hands in his as he began to speak.

"Sister Bikini... I'm sure you remember last night when Mia and I speculated that you weren't the one responsible for the fire,"

Bikini nodded, swallowing nervously.

"You didn't take that too well," Phoenix said, concern filling his voice. "I just want to know if you are okay now. I know you have so much to process and I can't even begin to imagine how you might feel right now so if you aren't ready to hear about everything I'll totally understand if –"

"Mr Wright," Bikini said calmly, cutting him off. "Please. I am fine. Tell me what I need to know. I have waited twenty five years for the truth."

Phoenix nodded tersely, letting go of her hand. He stood, pacing slightly.

"I can confirm that what Mia and I believed was correct. Morgan started the fire and blamed you for it," he said quickly.

Bikini swallowed hard, nodding as she accepted what he had said.

"Do you know why?" she croaked.

"Yes." Phoenix said. "She had murdered Luciana Armando and needed to cover up the crime scene."

"She did what?" Bikini cried, shocked. "Luciana? How could... I mean why would anyone want to kill Luciana?"

"Luciana had accidentally discovered that Morgan was embezzling money from Hazakurain. She had been helping with the books. It's highly likely that she didn't even know what the transactions meant, but I would imagine Morgan didn't want to risk being caught."

"Oh no," Bikini said, bringing her hand to her heart in shock. "I gave her that paperwork. I told her she could help. Oh my goodness! It's my fault she's dead!"

"Sister Bikini, you can't possibly believe that." Mia said softly as she stroked Bikini's back soothingly. "Morgan made the decision to do what she did, not you. Don't ever blame yourself for what happened."

Bikini hung her head, sniffling to herself. Regardless of whether or not she had actually taken Mia's advice to heart, she nodded.

"How do you know all of this?" Bikini asked eventually.

Phoenix and Mia glanced quickly at each other.

"Diego Armando was hiding in the room when Morgan struck you down as you prepared to channel. He found his mother's body and hid when Morgan returned to the room with you. After she lit the fire, he escaped out the window and ran away." Phoenix explained.

"Diego is alive?" Bikini exclaimed, her eyes widening.

"Yes," Phoenix said. "He believed you had died like his mother, so he never returned to Hazakurain. He was quite happy to learn that you lived."

"Oh that poor boy, growing up all alone..." Bikini said sadly. "I can't believe this, I really believed that he died in the fire. How did you find him?"

"Mia and I both know Diego quite well." Phoenix said, choosing not to elaborate further.

"And he is well?" Bikini queried.

"Yes," Mia said quickly with a small smile. "He is a lawyer, just like Phoenix and I were."

Phoenix felt his stomach knot at Mia's use of past tense with regard to their occupation. With all the drama surrounding Maya he had almost forgotten that he had lost his badge. He quickly shrugged the feeling away. This was no time to be feeling sorry for himself.

Bikini smiled softly.

"I always believed he would be something special. Diego was such a smart boy."

Phoenix half smiled, happy with his decision to withhold the downfall of Diego Armando from someone who thought so highly of him. Such a little white lie would do more good than harm.

"Are you okay?" Phoenix asked Sister Bikini. "I know it can't be easy finding all of this out now and I'm sorry it has happened this way."

"I'm fine, Mr Wright," Bikini said with a small nod. "I believe I will hurt for some time over what I have lost. I blamed myself for the fire for twenty five years. I thought I was responsible for the death of my good friend and her son and all those other girls too. But what you have given me today is a clear conscience. I could not ask for a better gift. I am sad, but what I am feeling mostly is relief."

Phoenix nodded.

"If it's okay with you, I wanted to get Mystic Jess or Deanna to channel Luciana for us. I want to find out what really happened."

Bikini nodded in reply, her gentle smile surprising him.

"Now that I know I am not responsible for her passing, I would love to see my friend once more."

"Could one of you girls do the honours?" Phoenix asked the two mediums sitting quietly across the room.

"Sure thing Mr Wright," Jess said quickly, relaxing into the same meditative stance that he had seen Maya perform many times.

After a few short moments, before their very eyes, Jess's form began to shift until before them was a beautiful olive skinned woman with almond shaped eyes and a very surprised expression.

"Where am I?" Luciana said quickly, her eyes darting around the room before settling on Bikini. "Angel? Is that you? What is going on?"

"Yes Lucy," Bikini said quickly. "It's me. I know this must be a shock to you, but you need to trust me, you are safe."

Luciana nodded as she continued to look around the room at the less familiar faces. Mia stood, moving towards Phoenix as Bikini motioned for Luciana to take a seat next to her.

"Angel, you look so much older. I don't understand..." Luciana frowned.

Phoenix was puzzled. He frowned lightly, leaning towards Mia as to not interrupt the other conversation going on in the room.

"I don't get it." Phoenix whispered to Mia. "How come she doesn't remember that she is dead like you do?"

"She knows on a subconscious level, but being channelled, especially for the first time can be traumatic and confronting. Right now she would be getting a rush of memories that she hasn't remembered in a long time," Mia whispered in reply. "Besides, only spirit mediums can consciously experience both this plane and the next and retain memory of both. It stops a channelled spirit from blabbing about what happens when you die. It's one of the big no no's."

Phoenix nodded in understanding as he turned his attention back to Luciana. For once something related to this whole channelling business actually made sense to him.

"Try to calm your mind, Lucy." Bikini said soothingly. "I need you to relax and tell me the last thing that you remember.

Luciana frowned softly before her eyes snapped open in shock.

"Master Morgan!" she cried.

Phoenix and Mia looked at each other quickly. It was just what they had suspected.

"Master Morgan accused me of having an affair with Mr Hawthorne, and then she struck me. I do not remember anything else." Luciana said, her voice tinged with panic.

"Daniel?" Bikini asked, surprised. "How could she have thought that? I mean I don't doubt that Daniel was capable of such a thing, but she should have trusted you. You would never..."

"I tried to tell her that, but she was so mad. So angry. She asked me to leave and I remember feeling sadness that Diego and I had to leave our home. Then I felt pain in the back of my head, and then nothing..."

Bikini sighed, taking her friend by the hand.

"You died that day, Luciana. I'm so sorry. You are being channelled right now. You've been gone for twenty five years."

"Oh... oh my..." Luciana stammered. "Diego!" she cried, as clarity began to return. "Where is my son?"

Bikini opened her mouth to speak, but Mia beat her to it.

"Diego grew into a fine man, Ms Armando," she said lovingly. "He finished college and became a lawyer. He has helped a lot of people."

Bikini stood, motioning for Mia to take the place where she sat.

"Mia, please, sit. Tell Lucy all about her son." Bikini said.

"Mia...?" Luciana asked, surprised as Mia sat down. "_Princess_ Mia?"

Mia chuckled softly to herself, remembering her father's nickname for her with fondness.

"You know my son? I mean now that he is grown?" Luciana asked, her eyes pleading for more information.

"Knew," Mia corrected her sadly. "I died three years ago."

"Oh, child..." Luciana said, her heart lurching. "Oh no."

"But rest assured, Ms Armando. Diego grew into the kindest, most wonderful, loving man that I ever met. I loved him more than I can tell you in words. I still do."

Luciana shook her head, smiling sadly.

"Princess Mia fell in love with my boy. I bet Master Misty was so surprised."

Mia simply smiled at Luciana's mention of her mother. There was no point telling her about the DL-6 mess. Not when she looked this happy.

"So beautiful," she said, patting Mia's hand. "But love lost is so sad. He must miss you terribly."

"He does." Phoenix piped in. "He told me so when I saw him this morning."

Mia smiled as she dropped her head. She recognised that his comment was just as much for her as it was to reassure Diego's mother.

"Phoenix Wright," Phoenix said, offering his hand to Luciana as he stepped forward. "I'm a friend of Mia's. And of your son."

Luciana shook his hand, her eyes darting to Mia and Bikini. A tense atmosphere had begun to fill the room now that the pleasantries and introductions were done with.

"Ms Armando –" Phoenix started.

"Please, Lucy." Luciana instructed.

"Lucy..." Phoenix nodded. "I really wish that we had brought you here under more positive circumstances, but I'm afraid we need your help with something really important."

"Is something the matter with Diego?" Luciana asked, worried.

Phoenix bit his tongue. If she only knew.

"Diego is... fine." He said quickly, choosing his words carefully. "Our real problem is Morgan Fey."

"I have a little sister." Mia interrupted, explaining further. "She's someone very special to Phoenix... Morgan is trying to hurt her."

Luciana's expression hardened.

"How can I help?" she asked.

"I just need to know what happened that day, with the fire and all." Phoenix said.

"It is like I said," Luciana frowned. "Master Morgan accused me of having an affair with Mr Hawthorne, she yelled at me to leave and then struck me when my back was turned. I don't know anything about any fire..."

"That doesn't make any sense," Phoenix said, stroking his chin. "Diego said that Morgan murdered you over money. Is it true that you were helping with the bookwork?"

Luciana looked confused.

"Yes. Yes I was," she nodded. "But Master Morgan and I did not argue about that."

"Why would she think you were having an affair with Mr Hawthorne?" Mia asked, anticipating Phoenix's next line of questioning.

"Oh Mia," she started sadly. "Mr Hawthorne was not a good husband. He was... how can I say? Amorous with many ladies. Master Morgan was pregnant too. The morning that she... umm, the day that it happened, I overheard them arguing. Master Morgan had a bruise on her face. I felt so sad for her. She did not have his love."

Phoenix frowned lightly, recognising a slight feeling of compassion for Morgan loitering somewhere in the back of his mind. He scowled, shaking it off. Morgan did not deserve an inch of compassion from anyone. He could clearly see that Mia was struggling with the same emotion.

"So he believed that her husband was having an affair with you based on his actions alone? There was nothing from you that might have made her think that her belief was true?" Phoenix asked.

"Oh no," Luciana said, shaking her head. "Mr Hawthorne was always very forward. He made me very uncomfortable."

"So basically now we've got two possible motives. The money or jealousy." Phoenix surmised.

"Well we know that both are correct, we've seen the bank statements and Luciana would have no reason to lie, so maybe it was a combination of both." Mia suggested.

"What happened after...?" Luciana asked, pausing to word her question correctly. "After what Morgan did. You mentioned Diego. Master Morgan did not hurt him, did she?"

Phoenix shook his head.

"From what he told me, he found your... your body... and hid himself away in the room when Morgan returned."

"What happened then?" Luciana asked.

"Morgan bought Bik-...err, Audrina back with her, telling her she wanted her to channel a spirit for her. She then struck her down in the same way that she did you and set the room on fire. She blamed the spirit that Audrina had supposedly channelled for starting the fire."

"Oh no," Luciana frowned. "Diego escaped?"

Phoenix nodded.

"But a bunch of other acolytes didn't. Audrina has been living in exile for the last 25 years, blaming herself for everything. Her own mother abandoned her because of it."

Luciana stood, moving towards Sister Bikini with open arms.

"Oh Angel... you poor thing! You have lived with this guilt for so many years!"

Bikini hugged her friend close, unable to hold back her tears any longer.

"Lucy..." she sobbed. "I'm so sorry for everything. I wish I could have saved you. I wish..."

Luciana stroked Bikini's back as she cried openly.

"You have nothing to be sorry for, Angel. You made life wonderful for me and my son, and I will never forget that."

Phoenix smiled to himself as he watched the emotional exchange between the two women, happy that Sister Bikini was finally letting go of the guilt she had carried for twenty five long years.

Mia motioned silently for Phoenix to follow her as she stood and left the room. He followed her quickly, leaving Bikini, Luciana and Mystic Deanna inside.

"So what now?" Mia asked, shrugging against the cold breeze.

Phoenix shook his head and stuffed his hands into his pockets.

"Well in terms of finding undeniable proof that Morgan was responsible for what happened, I guess we came up short. But I think what we just did was still very important."

"Sister Bikini can finally put the past to rest." Mia agreed before scoffing lightly. "I wonder what Althea will say when she finds out. Twenty five years of being wrong isn't going to go down well with her."

Phoenix's head snapped up as the answer suddenly became clear in his mind.

"Chief, you're a genius!" he cried.

"I know that," Mia said, slightly puzzled. "But for what reason this time?"

"Althea!" Phoenix said excitedly. "There were still transfers being made to Morgan's accounts _after_ she had gone to prison. Maya said that no one else could have authorised them."

"You think that Morgan was blackmailing her?" Mia gasped.

"Yes. I do." Phoenix said as even facts started coming together. It was all starting to make sense. "Althea knew that Bikini was out here. I wouldn't doubt for a second that Morgan did too. It's the perfect ammunition to get whatever she wanted, and it's so undeniably Morgan's style that I can't believe that I didn't see it sooner."

"Go on..." Mia urged.

"Althea believes that Bikini was responsible for the fire and the deaths of all those people, right? Morgan threatens to tell everyone about what happened, so Althea gives her whatever she wants."

Mia nodded emphatically, catching his train of thought.

"I get it now. If we tell Althea the truth about Morgan being the one responsible, she won't hesitate to turn over details about the money." Mia continued. She paused, her shoulders slumping slightly. "But Phoenix, that won't be enough to get her executed. We need to prove that she's guilty of murder."

"That's where your father comes in." Phoenix said. "I went to a council meeting with Maya not long ago. Althea and Maya got into an argument and she mentioned Sebastian. I have a strong suspicion that she knows what happened to him. And who did it."

_"You didn't know your father was a lawyer, did you? They were married immediately and Mia was born only days after your mother turned twenty. Who do you think convinced your mother to help with that damn case that caused all the trouble?" Althea asked. Maya was dumbfounded._

_"Right before he died." Althea added cryptically, tilting her head slightly, making Phoenix wonder what that had to do with anything._

_"Why would you even mention that?" he couldn't help asking her._

_"Don't ask questions you don't want the answer to, lawyer." Althea shot back._

"Oh god, this just keeps getting worse." Mia said, shaking her head.

"We'll need to channel him, but it's going to have to wait until I get back. I have to go and get Maya. I'll bring her back here and we can all work out what to do next."

"That sounds like a plan. She'll be safer here." Mia nodded.

"I need Mystic Deanna to channel Lillian again for me. The sooner I can get a map to Ami Fey's cabin, the sooner I can get out of here." Phoenix said.

* * *

Tired and hungry, Phoenix continued to stumble through the bushes. Dark clouds had appeared overhead, making it impossible to tell what time of day it was or how long he had been walking. A quick glance at his watch told him that it was around half past five, which meant that it had been about three and a half hours since he had left Hazakurain. Wiping the sweat from his brow, he sighed. He needed to find the cabin soon, or prepare for a night of camping, and with the threat of rain looming overhead he knew which he would prefer, without a doubt.

He was getting frustrated. He had been following Lillian's map for hours and the woods just seemed to be getting thicker and thicker. He had expected to find something by now – a trail, a light off in the distance, perhaps even the smell of smoke from a chimney, but there had been nothing. Not even the slightest shred of proof that there was anyone living in these woods at all.

"_But I guess that's the point really…"_ he mused to himself, a slight smirk crossing his face. This place wasn't meant to be found. At least not easily.

From what Lillian had told him, the cabin was much closer to Hazakurain than it was to Kurain. It was hidden somewhere in the vast woodland between the two villages, and he should have been able to reach it in around three hours on foot.

With a small groan, he sat down on a rock and unzipped the backpack he had thankfully had the hindsight to grab from his apartment, along with clothes more comfortable for the hike he knew would be ahead. His suit would have been well and truly destroyed by now. He laughed lightly to himself at the absurdity of his worry. It wasn't like he was going to wear the damn thing again anytime soon.

He pulled his map out and scanned it thoroughly, his brow furrowing as he attempted to pinpoint his location. The compass in his palm told him that he had been travelling northwest, which according to the map, was correct.

"The river is there…" Phoenix said to himself as he traced the line with his finger, "And I passed that about an hour ago. I don't get it. It should be right here!"

Frowning, he stood and scanned the surrounding area. It was getting darker already, making it hard to see. He looked down at his map again, trying to discern if he was, indeed, where he thought he was.

"Wait a minute…" Phoenix said as he studied the sky above the tree line. Behind him, he could see the silhouette of Hazakurain's snowy mountain ranges. On the map he had in front of him, they were clearly South – but according to the compass in his hand, the ranges were definitely more South East of his current location. The clearing where he stood was marked on the map, but the direction he was facing was all wrong.

Realising just how close he was, Phoenix stuffed the map back into his bag and took off in a sprint, using energy that he had no idea that he still had. The terrain dipped into a slight valley as he raced through the trees, picking up speed as he moved down the slope.

"_This is it. I know it."_ Phoenix thought to himself as adrenaline began to pump through his veins. He pushed through one last branch and there it was.

The log cabin he had been searching for.

Phoenix sank to his knees, emotion overwhelming him as the rain began to bucket down.

He had found her.

* * *

Maya hummed quietly to herself as she sat in front of the mirror in her room, brushing her hair. She frowned, struggling to remember where the tune had come from.

"_Was it the Steel Samurai movie part three or four?"_ she wondered silently.

The sound of the door to the cabin opening shocked her out of her thought process. She froze, dropping her brush. Who could possibly be out here? Panic filled her as she scanned the room, looking for anything she could use as a weapon. Grabbing the only thing within reach that could even be remotely considered effective weaponry, she headed out into the hallway to investigate.

* * *

Phoenix closed the door behind him, running a hand through his hair and brushing the stray droplets from the soaked sleeve of his grey hoodie. He turned, just in time to see Maya moving down the hallway to his right, brandishing a hairdryer in front of her.

She froze when she saw him, her chest rising and falling with laboured breaths as the hairdryer clattered to the ground.

"Nick!" she cried, darting forward and leaping into his arms. "Nick, is it really you? Tell me I'm not dreaming."

Phoenix tightened his arms around her, lifting her off the ground.

"You're not dreaming," he murmured into her hair as he set her back on her feet. "I'm really here."

Maya took a small step backwards, so she could look at him again, just to make sure her eyes weren't playing tricks on her. Satisfied that he was indeed standing before her, she wrapped her arms around his neck again and began planting kisses across his cheeks, nose and lips.

Phoenix couldn't help but giggle at Maya's affectionate barrage. All of a sudden everything didn't feel so bad. Things weren't so hard. Maya made things better.

Releasing him from her death grip, Maya led Phoenix over to the table and sat him down.

"What are you doing here? Are you hungry? Tell me what's happening. I was just about to eat. You eat fish, right? Mia wrote me a letter. She told me that Bikini unlocked the spirit boxes. How did she do that? I didn't think she had any powers."

"Maya, please." Phoenix laughed. "One question at a time."

"Sorry," she smiled sheepishly. "I haven't talked to anyone in weeks. And I missed you so much, Nick."

He sighed. He doubted he could even put in to words how much he had missed her.

"I missed you too," he smiled. "And to answer your questions, one, I'm here to take you home. Two, I'm starving. Three, yes I eat fish. Four, Bikini opened the spirit boxes after Kay and Iris stole them from Kurain. It turns out that she does indeed have spiritual powers. Sister Bikini and Audrina Fey are one and the same."

Maya's mouth dropped open.

"You're kidding me," she said.

"I'm not." Phoenix said. "But there's more. Audrina Fey's mother is none other than Althea Fey."

Maya quickly finished loading up their plates of food and returned to the table. Placing the plates down, she watched Phoenix, wide eyed.

"Oh my god!" she cried. "Mia didn't tell me that! All she told me was how she was free and you guys were working hard to take down Morgan."

"Is that all she told you?" Phoenix asked, taking a mouthful of the dinner Maya had prepared. It seemed to be some sort of fish curry.

"Well, she also told me how lovesick and pathetic you are without me," Maya laughed. "But I could have guessed that anyway."

Phoenix shot her an annoyed look as he took another bite of food.

"This is delicious," he mumbled through a mouthful of food.

"Naturally," Maya said with a self satisfied shrug. "But never mind the food, tell me what is happening!"

Phoenix sighed, placing his fork back down on the table.

"It's not all good and exciting news," he said sadly. "In fact, most of it is pretty damn terrible."

"I can handle it." Maya said plainly.

Phoenix eyed her carefully. He hoped she was right.

* * *

Phoenix placed a hand over Maya's as she sat at the table, her eyes downcast. He had finished relaying the truth about the Hazakurain incident, about what Diego had seen and how he'd tried to tell Mia before Dahlia came into the picture.

"Poor sis," she said sadly. "Poor Sister Bikini, Poor Luciana, Poor Diego... Oh Nick, it's just so sad. How could Morgan do all this?"

Phoenix blanched. He hadn't told Maya about Sebastian's death yet. He would wait. She had enough to process right now.

"But Althea lied, right? Which means I don't have to stay here anymore?" Maya asked.

"We can leave first thing in the morning," Phoenix nodded.

"That's something good at least, right?" Maya said, forcing a smile as she stood began clearing the plates from the table. Phoenix stood also, moving out of her way as she tidied around him. He swallowed hard. It seemed that Mia hadn't told her about his badge. He had to tell her now.

"Maya, there's something else I need to tell you, " he said seriously. Maya stopped, placing the plates down. She watched him intently as she waited for him to continue.

"You remember my last trial?" he said, scratching the back of his head nervously.

"Oh yeah, the magicians. How did it go? I tried to call you after but you didn't answer."

"Something happened..." he started. "I was careless. I got... I got set up by someone."

"What?" Maya asked, confused. "What do you mean, Nick?"

"Someone supplied me with forged evidence. I didn't check it. I stupidly used it," Phoenix frowned. "I'm so sorry, Maya."

"Nick, what are you talking about?" Maya said firmly. He wasn't making sense.

"They stripped me of my badge. The bar association, I mean. I'm... I'm not a lawyer anymore," he finished sadly.

"Oh, Nick..." Maya said, moving forward to envelop him in a tight hug. "I'm so sorry... I can't believe it. You can fight it right? When we get home, we'll fight it okay?"

He said nothing, just closed his eyes and breathed in the scent of her hair. How he had missed her. She stepped back, eyeing him compassionately and stroking his cheek gently.

"Don't worry," she said confidently. "We've got through worse than this. We'll get your badge back."

Phoenix smiled at her. He wondered if she knew that she was exactly what he needed. She was the positive counter weight to his ever present pessimism. She said things with a conviction that made him believe in her. She made him believe in himself.

"Maya... I lo-"

He was cut off by an unexpected sneeze. Oh no. This was not the time to get sick again.

"Oh Nick, you're sneezing!" Maya fussed. "You need to get out of those wet clothes. Go and take a hot shower, you'll feel better."

He nodded slowly. A hot shower did sound pretty good.

"The bathroom is the first door on the left down the hall." Maya smiled. "Go on... shoo!"

Phoenix chuckled to himself and moved towards the doorway.

"Oh and Nick?" Maya said as she reached out to him.

"Yeah?"

She raised herself up on her tiptoes, placing a kiss at the tip of his nose.

"I love you too," she said softly.

* * *

Maya busied herself cleaning up the dishes in the kitchen and hanging Phoenix's damp hoodie to dry while he showered, still unable to believe he was actually here with her. Her sadness at the news of his disbarment was strangely counterbalanced by the good news that she didn't need to remain in this cabin any longer. She wasn't sure what emotions she should be feeling right now. Everything he had told her had left her feeling overwhelmed. But first and foremost in her mind was the news that she could leave with him tomorrow. She knew she would do everything in her power to help him get his badge back, whether he wanted her help or not.

Phoenix emerged from the bathroom moments later, interrupting her thoughts. Maya felt her mouth go dry at the sight of him, dressed only in a pair of shorts, absently running his towel over his wet hair. He seemed unaffected by his state of undress in her presence, however Maya felt like her whole body was blushing. The plate she had been drying slipped through her fingers, shattering as it hit the wooden floor with a crash.

She cursed inwardly as she dropped to her knees, picking up the broken pieces. Phoenix was beside her in an instant, his expression one of concern.

"Maya, are you alright?"

She nodded quickly, unable to meet his gaze.

"I'm fine, Nick. It slipped," she managed finally. "I'll… uh… see if there's some robes in the closet that will fit you."

She stood, pivoting on her heels and heading for the hallway, desperate to get away from him for a few seconds to calm herself. She dropped the broken plate pieces in the garbage as she reached the doorway, almost free of the kitchen when she felt his hand clamp over her wrist.

She let out a small yelp of surprise before turning to face him. His eyes locked with hers as he let his fingers slip from her wrist. He took a step towards her, closing the short distance between them. Maya swallowed hard, feeling as if she was glued to the spot. She could feel her heartbeat hammering wildly in her throat. He gazed down at her for a few moments, his expression curious before bringing a hand to cup her cheek. He ran his thumb delicately across her cheekbone, watching intently as her eyes fluttered closed. Slowly, he lowered his head to hers, their lips meeting in a gentle kiss.

Maya felt all the tension drain from her body as she leant against him, resting her hands against his chest. His skin was warm, and she could feel his erratic heartbeat beneath her fingertips. Excitement coursed through her at the realisation that his heart was beating in that manner for her. Because of her.

She snaked a hand into his damp hair, pulling him impossibly closer to her as she felt him take tiny gasps of air against her lips as their innocent kiss deepened into something more passionate. His hands rested against her lower back, holding her body against his. She revelled in the sensations running through her. He had never kissed her like this before. No one had. She had never felt anything like what she was feeling now.

He kissed her with a desperation that she matched eagerly, almost afraid that if they broke apart, the other would disappear and this would all be a cruel dream.

Almost as if her body were on autopilot, she found herself backing out of the kitchen and leading him down the hallway, her lips still locked with his. Her blood pumped furiously through her veins and the need to touch him was almost too much for her to bear. He paused when they reached the doorway of her bedroom, his lips leaving hers to trail across her jaw and down to her collarbone. She gasped and clutched at his hair.

"Are you sure about this?" he murmured heavily into her neck, anticipating what would likely happen between them if he walked through that door. It wasn't that he didn't want it to happen, quite the contrary, but he had to be sure that it was something she was ready for.

"Yes," she breathed into his ear with a conviction he wasn't quite expecting. She couldn't think of anything else she wanted more right now. Although she felt some nervousness about the physical aspects of what she had agreed to, the desire to bond with him on such a deep emotional level far outweighed any trepidation she felt at her lack of experience.

His lips met hers again as he swiftly hooked an arm behind her knees and lifted her up, carrying her into the bedroom. He lowered her gently to the bed, breaking their kiss as she lay back against the pillow. Bracing his forearms either side of her head, he admired the woman beneath him, trying his hardest to commit everything about her to memory. He never wanted to forget how she looked right now. She smiled at him then, with a fire in her eyes that excited him more than he thought possible. It was something he knew that he would never, ever tire of.

She looked up at him as he gazed down at her, wondering if he had paused to give her another chance to change her mind. With a smile she reached up and twisted her fingers into his hair. The corner of his mouth crept up slightly as he seemed to register her certainty. His lips were quick to find hers once more, all caution quickly discarded as rational thoughts seemed to cease and the powerful forces of instinct took over.

* * *

Moonlight spilled through the open curtains, and Phoenix lay awake, watching the woman sleeping across from him. She slept on her side, the ambient light bathing the pale skin of her bare back in a luminous blue glow. Her hair spilled on to the bed behind her, the silky black tresses pooling at her waist and disappearing beneath the sheet that covered the lower half of her body. Her breathing was calm and steady and even though he couldn't see her face, Phoenix couldn't help but admire how beautiful she was, from any angle.

He reached out and traced the line of her shoulder causing her to shiver involuntarily under his fingertips. He didn't think it possible to love her any more than he already did, but Maya had a habit of constantly surprising him. He understood the significance of what they had shared earlier, masculine satisfaction flooding through him at the realisation that she had given him a gift that she would never give to any other man. He had been her first, and nothing could ever change that.

She had seemed almost timid at times in her inexperience, trusting him to lead her as if he had known exactly what to do. He scoffed lightly at the thought. His experience with women was minimal at best. There had been a few in his twenty seven years, but he had never felt anything like he had tonight with Maya.

He reached out to her, slinging an arm over her waist and pulling her petite frame against him. She murmured softly, but didn't stir any further as he pressed his lips against her shoulder, and settled in to get some sleep himself. Despite their difference in stature, she seemed to fit against him almost perfectly. Phoenix wondered sleepily if that meant she was always meant to be with him, like fate or serendipity or something like that.

His last thought before slipping into a deep, restful sleep was that he had to protect this woman, no matter what the cost.

No one would ever hurt her again.

* * *

**A/N: We're on the home stretch now guys. Three more chapters and an epilogue to go!**


	37. The Death of Mystic Maya

**A/N: Late again, I know. But we are definitely on the home stretch now. I'll try and keep writing while I still have free time and hopefully I'll be able to get another chapter out next week.**

* * *

Even the moon was trying its hardest to thwart the plans of Andre and Morgan Fey as it slipped behind a cloud, obscuring the forest path under a shroud of darkness. Andre continued on, certain he was heading in the right direction. He had learned the location of Ami Fey's cabin long ago, and today that information was going to finally be put to use.

The gasoline can stored in his backpack sloshed noisily with each step, almost as if it were trying to make sure he was completely aware of what he was about to do. He knew that a quick splash of the flammable liquid and the matches in his pocket were all he would need to bring Misty Fey's bloodline to an end, leaving only his own to become Kurain's head family. Though it had rained the night prior, he felt fortunate that the spring sunshine had dried everything off earlier that day, making his task even easier.

Finally, the cabin came into view. As he had expected, there were no lights on inside meaning that Maya was already fast asleep. Andre smirked to himself as he snuck around the side of the structure, stopping beneath the window of the room she would be sleeping in.

He unzipped his bag and removed the gasoline, carefully pouring a liberal amount around the outer walls of her room. Satisfied that the cabin would burn as intended, he hid the empty can in the garden shed and returned to Maya's window.

He stood for a moment, seething at the building and at the woman inside it, cursing all it represented. He then took a deep breath, his angry visage melting into calm impassiveness once more. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small book of matches. Striking one, he watched the flame dance for a few seconds before turning his attention back to the cabin.

"This is for my mother," he said coolly as he tossed the match towards the gasoline soaked wall. With a whooshing sound, the structure burst into flames as the liquid ignited.

With a sardonic smile, Andre turned and headed away from the burning cabin.

"Sweet dreams, _Mystic_ Maya..."

* * *

Detective Gumshoe felt like someone had ripped his heart from his chest. He stood before the charred remains of Ami Fey's cabin, still unable to believe what had happened here.

They just hadn't been quick enough, and he felt like it was all his fault.

He had made sure that his contact at the prison had monitored all of Morgan's calls just as Phoenix had requested, and they were lucky enough to have caught her conversation with Andre Fey. She was hauled in for questioning but so far was being uncooperative. Gumshoe himself had taken charge of the operation, immediately dispatching officers to Kurain to find Andre Fey before he could make his move.

Unfortunately, Andre wasn't in Kurain and his officers returned empty handed. Althea Fey had also refused to disclose the exact location of the cabin and Gumshoe simply hadn't had the time to organise the paperwork that would allow him to demand that she do so. Althea had claimed that Andre was away at boarding school and that she had no way of contacting him. She didn't seem to care that Maya's life was being threatened, which Gumshoe just couldn't understand.

It wasn't until a ranger reported a forest fire that the police department was notified, only to discover that the fire was a lot more sinister. The remote location had made it difficult to get a fire crew close enough to put out the blaze and by the time it was extinguished, there was nothing left of the cabin. Nor was there any sign of its occupant, Maya Fey. The coroner had been called in at about half past six that morning, and the firemen continued to search the ruins for her remains as the sun came up over the disastrous scene.

Gumshoe wiped at his eyes with the back of his jacket, sighing heavily to himself as he pulled out his cell phone. Phoenix was not answering at his office or on his cell and Gumshoe knew that he desperately needed to get a hold of him. He wasn't going to take the news well. Flicking through his contacts, he tried Phoenix's cell number once again.

* * *

Something in the back of Phoenix's mind registered an oddly familiar sound through the haze of his dream and he soon found himself awake, wondering what the hell the sound was and why it was getting louder. After a few moments of clarity he realised that it was his phone, ringing away on the floor beside the futon.

"_Who on earth could that be at this time of the morning?"_ he thought grumpily to himself as he picked up the offending object. Glancing to his right, he was glad to see that the commotion hadn't woken Maya. She was still fast asleep.

"Hello?" Phoenix mumbled, answering the call.

"Pal... *sniff* Oh pal... *sniff* I'm so sorry, pal..." the man on the other end of the line blubbered.

Judging from the amount of times he had used the word 'pal' in one sentence, Phoenix surmised that it must have been Gumshoe. But why was he so upset?

"Gumshoe? Is that you? What's the matter?"

"It's me, pal." Gumshoe confirmed, pausing as he gathered his words. "I'm so sorry. I don't know how to tell you this. We tried. We tried everything. But we were too late. I'm sorry."

"Gumshoe, you're not making sense." Phoenix said sternly, now fully awake. The volume of his voice caused Maya to stir beside him. She pulled herself up on to her elbows and eyed him groggily.

"Wha's goin' on?" Maya mumbled. Phoenix held up his hand to her, motioning that he would tell her in a second as he tried to get some sort of coherent explanation from the detective.

"It's Maya. She was in the cabin, pal. Andre burned it down. You were right," Gumshoe finally managed.

"He what?" Phoenix cried, louder than he had intended to.

"What? What is it?" Maya asked, now considerably more alert.

"We started recording Morgan's calls like you said we should. Her and Andre were talking about burning down the cabin. Everyone at Kurain said Maya was here, but Althea wouldn't tell us where. But then the fire... Aw pal, we were too late," Gumshoe trailed off, sobbing openly.

"Gumshoe, calm down okay?" Phoenix instructed.

"How can you say that, pal? How can you be so calm? It's Maya!" Gumshoe wailed.

"Maya is with me. I can assure you that she's right here, right now and very much alive," Phoenix explained. "She wasn't in the cabin. We left yesterday afternoon. We're at Hazakurain right now."

"What? He thinks I'm dead? What's happening, Nick?" Maya cried. Phoenix motioned again for her to hold on a second while he tried to clear things up with the distraught detective.

"Really? You're sure?" Gumshoe asked, his voice brightening.

Phoenix blanched at the stupidity of the question. Was he sure? He was looking at the girl. Of course he was sure.

"Yes, I'm sure. Here, I'll prove it," he said, holding the phone to up to Maya's ear. "Maya, tell Detective Gumshoe that you're not dead."

"Hi Detective Gumshoe, it's Maya. I'm not dead," she chirped into the phone as instructed.

"See? I told you," Phoenix said. "She's perfectly safe."

Gumshoe let out a huge breath.

"Oh pal," he said, his grin evident in his voice. "This is great news. You have no idea... I thought... we thought... oh pal..."

"I know," Phoenix said gently. He realised that the poor detective must have had quite a scare. He could only imagine how he would feel if... no... he couldn't even imagine it. "But she's fine. So tell me what's going on."

Gumshoe seemed to be recovering some of his composure and thus was able to explain things a little better this time around.

"We tapped Morgan's phone, like you said. Andre called and told her he was going to kill Maya. We have it all on tape. We went to Kurain looking for him, but I think that elder lady is hiding him. Then when the forest ranger reported the fire out here, we thought it was too late."

Phoenix sighed heavily. He was so lucky that he hadn't waited another day to go and retrieve Maya.

"I can guarantee you that Althea is hiding him. But give me a few hours to sort something out, Gumshoe, and I'll call you back. I have a feeling I might be able to make Althea cooperate with us."

"Well let me know pal. We have enough now to stick this kid with attempted murder," Gumshoe said flatly. "Whatever you're doing, you'd better do it quickly so he doesn't get a chance to get at Maya again."

"It's probably best to keep it to yourself that you know Maya is alive," Phoenix suggested. "Just for now. If Althea and Andre think she's dead then they won't come looking for her here."

"Good idea," Gumshoe agreed.

"Oh and Gumshoe?" Phoenix added. "You should probably add the murder of Lillian Fey to that list of Andre's charges too. I'm sure that once we're done with Althea she'll testify to that as well."

"He was already under suspicion, but any new information would sure help," Gumshoe said.

After agreeing to inform the detective as soon as any new information came to light, Phoenix said good bye and hung up the phone. He flopped back on his pillow with a huge sigh, turning his head to see Maya staring down at him expectantly.

"Now are you going to tell me?" she asked impatiently.

"Andre burned down the cabin, thinking you were inside," Phoenix stated seriously.

"Well it's a good thing I wasn't," Maya said with a shrug, flopping back down on her pillow, just as Phoenix had.

"I'm starting to think you're getting a little too used to being the subject of murder plots," Phoenix said, shaking his head at her calm acceptance of what he had just told her. "But, the good news is he was stupid enough to say he was going to do it while speaking to Morgan on the phone. I had Gumshoe tap the phone at the prison."

"That's great!" Maya exclaimed. "Does that mean Gumshoe gets to arrest him?"

"Yes." Phoenix nodded. "But Althea is still hiding him. We need to get her to cooperate with us."

"And how are we going to do that?"

"I have a plan. But I'll tell you later."

"Aw, how come?" Maya whined.

"Because. It's barely past seven and I'm not ready to get out of bed yet." Phoenix said with a small smile.

"Well you woke me up, Nick. You gotta entertain me," Maya said, returning his playful smile.

With a soft chuckle he grabbed her waist, pulling her closer as he entwined his legs with hers.

"That… I think I can manage..." he growled into the crook of her neck as she giggled.

* * *

Showered and dressed, Phoenix and Maya headed to the main hall for breakfast. Iris had promised them when they had arrived in Hazakurain the night before that she would make pancakes and they were running late. The acolytes would most likely have eaten already. Maya hoped there was food left as they hurried to the hall, because she was _starving_.

Even thought the table was almost empty, there was still plenty left to eat. Maya cheered as she sat down at the table and immediately began heaping piles of fluffy pancakes on to her plate. Phoenix chuckled as he took a seat beside her, opting for a piece of toast instead. No matter how dire the situation, he could still always trust the fact that Maya would get excited about food. He glanced across the table, nodding briefly at the other occupant. Maya had been so busy with her breakfast preparations that she hadn't noticed her sister sitting across from her.

"You two are certainly late for breakfast," Mia said, not taking her eyes off the magazine she was reading as she pushed another forkful of pancakes into her mouth.

"Mia!" Maya cried, finally looking up from her mountainous pancake stack with a huge smile. "What are you doing here?"

"Eating breakfast," Mia stated.

"Well duh, I can see that," Maya grinned. "But what are you doing here?"

"I left a note for Eve telling her to channel me the next time Iris made pancakes. I can't tell you how much I miss pancakes..." Mia explained, trailing off as she savoured another mouthful.

"Wait..." Maya said, dropping her fork. "Are you telling me there's no pancakes in heaven?"

"Afraid not." Mia shrugged. "But I'm telling you. Once you get there, in a _very long time_ that is, you won't mind."

"I remain sceptical." Maya frowned.

"It's okay though, I think you've got enough on your plate there to last you an entire afterlife. Hungry are we?" Mia asked.

"Starving." Maya said dramatically, shovelling another mouthful.

"Phoenix, you've got to give my sister a break from all this sex. Look at her. She's ravenous." Mia said casually, flipping another page in her magazine.

Phoenix did his best to stifle his laughter while Maya practically choked on her pancakes. He hadn't told Maya about the rather interesting conversation he had had with Mia before he left Hazakurain to come find her. Mia's forwardness was making Maya hilariously uncomfortable.

"Mia!" Maya frowned, her cheeks turning bright pink.

"Oh Maya, I wasn't born yesterday. That glow on your cheeks... that spring in your step. Someone got lucky last night."

"Oh god..." Maya said, placing her head in her hands.

"And this morning," Phoenix added daringly, sipping at his coffee.

"Nick! Oh my god!" Maya cried, unable to contain her embarrassment.

"Nice!" Mia said with an appreciative nod as she stood up to clear her plate. She leant over the table and offered her palm up to Phoenix for a high five. Maya glared at him as he high fived her older sister.

"Oh my god." Maya said to no one in particular as she shook her head. "You're both crazy."

"Just crazy about you..." Phoenix said lightly as he stood and picked up his plate, placing a kiss atop her head with a chuckle. He turned and followed Mia toward the kitchen.

"Don't you act all cute with me, Nick." Maya called out as he walked away. "You're in so much trouble. What have you been telling my sister?"

"Nothing!" he called out as he disappeared from her line of sight.

Maya let her fork drop the table with a huff.

Nothing like extreme embarrassment to spoil your appetite.

* * *

"I'm still not talking to either of you," Maya sulked as she flopped down cross legged on the floor in front of Phoenix, who sat on the couch behind her. Mia took a seat across from them as they waited for Sister Bikini, Jess and Deanna to arrive.

Mia sighed, laughing softly under her breath.

"No need to be embarrassed, Maya. You're all grown up now. And I know how much you two love each other," Mia explained. "I'm happy for you. I'm just teasing, that's all. I mean, how often do I get to tease my baby sister?"

She opened her arms, gesturing to her pouting younger sister that she wanted a hug. Maya smiled glumly before shuffling across the floor.

"I love you, Maya." Mia said sadly, burying her face in Maya's hair.

"I know… I miss you so much, sis." Maya croaked.

"I miss you too," Mia said sadly, hugging her sister tight. "You know, eventually you're going to be older than me. Then you won't be my baby sister anymore."

"That's kinda weird." Maya said with a small laugh, pulling back from Mia's hug and leaning against her heels. "But I'll always be your baby sister, no matter how old I get."

Mia nodded, smiling widely as she wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. Maya moved back towards Phoenix and settled herself against his legs.

"So does this mean I'm forgiven too?" Phoenix asked.

"Nope. You're still in trouble." Maya replied simply.

"What?" Phoenix cried. "How is that fair? Chief, help me out a little here."

"Sorry Phoenix," Mia shrugged. "You're on your own with this one."

Phoenix groaned as the two women laughed at his expense. He opened his mouth to complain some more when he was interrupted by Sister Bikini entering the room with Jess and Deanna.

"We're here, Mr Wright," Bikini started apologetically. "I am sorry for keeping you waiting. Mystic Deanna had to ring the bell this morning and Mystic Jess was down at the gate seeing off some guests. I thought it best to wait for them seeing as they are already aware of the situation."

Phoenix nodded in agreement. There was no point in dragging more acolytes into this mess.

Once they had all taken seats, all eyes shifted to Phoenix. It was time to set his plan in motion. He just hoped that Maya was going to be okay with it. Mia nodded at him in encouragement. It sure was nice having her around for support.

He reached down and placed his hand reassuringly on Maya's shoulder. She looked up at him and smiled, waiting for him to speak.

"I... err... I don't think there's any way that we can get to the bottom of this without the help of your parents," he said finally. He felt Maya tense up slightly as she squeezed her eyes shut, but after a deep breath she decided to let the tension go. It was hard to overcome the trepidation she felt at seeing her mother again after everything that had happened. It was still hard to believe that the mother she had missed her whole life was actually there with her that day. She never even got the chance to tell her mother about her life or learn about the kind of person she was. She was still angry at her for not being there when she needed her. The fact of the matter was that Maya had been avoiding speaking to her mother simply because she was still just so confused. But Phoenix was here with her and this was important. Maybe it was time that she faced her fears.

"Maya? Are you okay with that?" Phoenix asked gently.

"Yes," she said, exhaling heavily. "We need to do everything we can to stop Morgan. And you're right, Nick. My parents might be the only chance we've got."

Phoenix rubbed her shoulder affectionately as he spoke to the other girls.

"Okay, Jess, Deanna? I need you two to channel Sebastian and Misty Fey."

The girls nodded and relaxed into their meditation.

* * *

Andre strolled casually into Althea's office as if nothing at all had happened and it was just a regular day. Althea was startled by the sight of him, standing from her chair and slamming her hands down on her desk.

"What do you think you're doing here?" she asked incredulously.

"I live here." Andre said simply. "And I'm part of the head family now."

"Andre, do you have any idea what you have done?" Althea cried. "The police were here this morning. Looking for you! They know what you did. I can't protect you any more."

"What are you talking about?" Andre asked, frowning. "How could anyone know where I was or what I did? Unless..." he paused, narrowing his eyes. "Unless you told them..."

He moved around the desk, closer to Althea who sank back in her chair.

"No... I didn't, you've got to believe me. I didn't say a thing, I swear." Althea stammered, leaning away from him.

"You're lying," Andre concluded. "You're afraid of me, so you want to get rid of me."

"No, that's not true!" Althea pleaded.

"Well you should be." Andre said flatly, retreating back to the other side of the desk.

"I should be what?" Althea asked timidly.

"Afraid of me," he clarified. "I'm not afraid to do what is necessary to get what I want. My mother is proud of me."

Althea closed her eyes and rubbed at her temples gingerly.

"I'm afraid that's the problem, Andre. The police recorded your last conversation with Morgan. They know all about your plans, and that she is your mother."

"What?" he cried, straightening immediately, and for the first time in a long time, Althea thought she even registered fear in his expression. "How... how can they do that? They can't do that. That's an invasion of my mother's privacy. They can't..."

"Andre they can... your mother is a convicted criminal. She doesn't have the same rights as..." Althea explained before Andre cut her off.

"Don't you EVER refer to my mother as a criminal again. EVER!" he bellowed.

Althea was startled by his outburst. She gripped at the edge of her desk to calm herself as she continued.

"The police are looking for you Andre. They were here this morning and they will most likely still be around. You need... you need to leave until we can sort this out."

* * *

"Would someone care to explain to me why I'm wearing a dress?"

Sebastian Fey looked down at his lap, puzzled by the acolyte robes that he was dressed in. He had worn training robes in the past when completing spiritual training with his wife, but nothing this short... or this purple.

"You've been channelled, my love..." came the sweet voice of Misty Fey from beside him. He glanced over at his wife, eyes wide. Why was she so much older?

"Misty?" he frowned. "Why does it feel like I haven't seen you in forever?"

"Because you don't remember where we came from," she explained, patting his hand.

"Where did we come from? I don't understand? And how can I be channelled? I'm not..." he trailed off as realisation set in. "Oh..."

He looked up at his wife again as he began to understand the entire situation.

"Oh no... you mean you are... too?"

Misty nodded.

"Why are we here then?" he asked, still slightly disoriented from the channelling process.

"Our daughters need our help," Misty said gently, motioning to where Mia and Maya sat with Phoenix.

For the first time, Sebastian tore his eyes away from his wife and surveyed the other occupants of the room, his face lighting up when he saw the two girls sitting across from him. Neither had said a word, and Maya was gripping Phoenix's hand so tightly that Phoenix worried that she might break a few of his bones.

"Mia...? Maya...!" Sebastian cried. "My beautiful girls! Oh, look at you two."

He stood from the couch and moved towards them, before stopping suddenly.

"Wait... can I hug you? Is that allowed?"

"Of course you can hug us, Dad." Mia said happily, breaking out into a grin. He dropped to his knees in front of them, gathering both girls up in a bear hug. Maya let go of Phoenix's hand and wrapped her arms around her father's neck, hugging him tightly as she tried to contain her tears.

He turned, looking at his youngest daughter. An expression of pride spread across his face.

"Oh Maya, look how beautiful you are. You look just like your mother. How old are you now? How much have I missed?"

"I'm twenty," Maya said as she sniffed back an emotional sob. "It was my birthday not long ago."

Sebastian beamed at his youngest before turning his attention to Mia.

"And if Maya is twenty, that makes you thirty, doesn't it? You look beautiful, princess."

Mia glanced over at Maya, a small frown creasing her brow. She looked back at her father before shaking her head slowly. She looked down at the acolyte robes that she was also wearing, the action causing her father to register her meaning.

"Oh no... no... not my princess too. No!" Sebastian cried, visibly upset.

"Dad... it's okay. It was a long time ago now." Mia soothed. "It's okay. The man who did it is long gone. Maya's... friend over there made sure he was put behind bars."

Sebastian turned his attention to Phoenix.

"Phoenix Wright," Phoenix said nervously, offering his hand to Sebastian. Sebastian shook his hand, but eyed Phoenix warily as he glanced between the man and his youngest daughter. Phoenix gulped. He really didn't think he would have to deal with the overprotective father bit today.

"So you're my daughters friend," he said sternly as he stood, placing a little too much emphasis on the word 'friend' for Phoenix's liking.

"Yes sir," Phoenix said, nodding nervously.

"And what do you do for a living, Mr Phoenix Wright? Mia says you put her killer in jail. Are you a cop?" Sebastian asked, moving back to sit with Misty.

Phoenix swallowed hard. Right now, he was unemployed. But how could he tell someone who retired a great defense attorney that he had used forged evidence and been disbarred. That wasn't going to make the best impression on his new girlfriend's father, even if he was only being channelled. He'd probably come back and haunt him.

"Phoenix is an attorney, Dad. Just like I was. I taught him. He was my apprentice." Mia cut in, shooting Phoenix a look that told him to play along.

Sebastian brightened considerably.

"You're a defense attorney?" He asked, a smile spreading across his face. "And you too, Princess?"

He clapped his hands together happily and turned to his wife.

"You hear that Misty? My Princess was a defense attorney, just like her Dad. And she taught this young man everything he knows."

Misty smiled at her husbands enthusiasm.

"I like you Phoenix Wright," Sebastian decided. "You're free to date my daughter."

"Sir... I never said I was..." Phoenix stammered.

"I'm not blind, Wright. So don't treat me like I'm stupid or I might change my opinion of you."

"Yes sir." Phoenix said quickly.

"Look at them, Misty." Sebastian said, turning back to his wife once more. "Don't they remind you of us at that age?"

Realising his own remark, Sebastian straightened in his chair, narrowing his eyes at Phoenix.

"Wait a minute..." he said. "Maya's not pregnant, is she?"

"No sir!" Phoenix said, shaking his head. He ignored the little voice in the back of his head that told him that it wasn't absolutely impossible. But he would never tell her father that.

"Good." Sebastian said, satisfied with Phoenix's quick answer. Maya sat perfectly still next to him, as red as a beet. "Then I still like you, Phoenix Wright."

"Uhh... thank you, sir." Phoenix said.

"Dad, we called you and Mom here today because we need your help. To cut a long story short, because we're short on time, the problem is Morgan. She and her son are trying to kill Maya. We have to figure out a way to stop her." Mia said seriously, hoping that now the introductions were out of the way that they could all focus on the task at hand.

"Morgan has a son?" Sebastian asked.

"Andre..." Misty said, her eyes narrowing. "I had a feeling that the apple wouldn't fall far from the tree in that instance."

"Well you were right on that one, Mom." Mia agreed. "Last night he burned down Ami Fey's cabin, thinking that Maya was asleep inside."

"What were you doing at Ami Fey's cabin?" Misty asked, turning her attention to Maya.

"Long story." Mia answered before Maya could. "Basically Althea sent her there after lying about the law that Great Grandma Mara abolished. The one where you had to have a daughter to take the Masters postion."

"How could she do that though, Lillian would have known...?" Misty frowned.

"Andre killed Lillian." Mia shrugged. "And they framed me for it."

"Oh no... " Misty said sadly. "But wait a minute, how could you have done it? You're dead..." Misty frowned again.

"Yes, but they said Pearl was channelling me. Which she was. And I was there, but I saw Andre poison Lillian."

"Wait, who is Pearl?" Sebastian asked.

"Morgan's ten year old daughter." Misty explained quickly.

"How many kids does Morgan have?" Sebastian asked incredulously.

"Hopefully no more than the four we know about, because I'm getting sick of surprises." Phoenix responded.

Misty sat back in her chair, tapping her chin as she thought. Phoenix recognised the trait as one belonging to Maya.

"This is bad." Misty said, pursing her lips together. "I don't know how Sebastian and I can help you, but we'll do everything we can."

"Well Phoenix has a few questions he wanted to ask Dad. We're hoping that will help us." Mia said.

Sebastian eyed Phoenix expectantly.

"Well go ahead, son. Princess says the clock is ticking." Sebastian said. Phoenix took a deep breath.

"I need to ask you what you remember about the day you died."

* * *

"I will keep this brief, as there are many things to attend to regarding this matter," Althea stated stoically to the crowd of people who had gathered outside the council chambers for the emergency town meeting she had called.

"Some of you may have seen police officers around here this morning. I can now confirm that it is my sad duty to inform you of the passing of Mystic Maya. She has perished in a fire at Mystic Ami Fey's cabin in the early hours of the morning."

Gasps and whispers of shock were heard from the crowd of people. Pearl stood towards the side with a young friend of hers by the name of Emily. Emily Fey was two years older than Pearl was, and a lot taller.

"Emily, what does per-rished mean?" Pearl asked.

"I think it means she died." Emily said with a shrug as she craned her neck to try and see more of what was going on.

"Pearl Fey will be named as unofficial Master of Kurain until she is able to formally accept the title on her twentieth birthday." Althea continued.

"What?" Pearl said as her lip began to tremble and tears started falling. "No! No! Mystic Maya isn't dead! No!" she started yelling.

People in front of her turned to look at the commotion, their hearts breaking at the sight of the distraught little girl. Their red rimmed eyes and looks of pity were too much for Pearl to handle as she turned and ran as fast as she could to Fey Manor, running straight to Maya's bedroom and crawling into her bed where she cried until she ran out of tears.

* * *

Sebastian frowned heavily, concentrating as hard as he could to remember the details. Phoenix knew that it wouldn't be easy. It had taken Luciana some time to remember what had happened to her and there was also the possibility looming that Sebastian hadn't even seen Morgan before she had pushed him from the scaffolding.

"The last thing that I remember was that I was painting the second story balcony at the back of the house..."

He looked up, his eyes widening as his hazy memories became clear.

"She pushed me!" he cried. "Morgan, she pushed me!"

"Mr Fey, please slow down and tell me what you remember." Phoenix said, hoping to god there was something in his story that could help them.

"Sorry... I just... this is all such a shock when it comes back to you like this."

"I know dear," Misty said, her eyes filling with tears. It was hard to hear that her own flesh and blood had murdered the love of her life. "You have to try. For Maya."

Sebastian took a deep breath, concentrating once more.

"I was painting the balcony at the back on the left hand side. The house was almost finished. Misty and I were planning on moving in with the kids so that we could have a place of our very own that was still pretty close to the village. I definitely didn't expect Morgan to step out on to the balcony that day."

"Then what happened?" Phoenix urged.

"She started telling me what a mistake I made in marrying Misty. She was telling me that I would be forever tied to Kurain and I would never know what else the world had to offer. I told her that I loved Misty and I loved Kurain and she started getting frustrated.

She produced some papers. A bank statement actually. She had set up an account with my name and had transferred an extraordinary amount of money into it. She told me that if I left Misty and the girls and ran away with her that we could live out our lives anywhere we wanted to. She said that she had money too and we could be rich."

Misty brought her hand to her mouth, the words from her husband difficult for her to hear.

"I told her that I was already as rich as any man could hope to be," Sebastian continued, taking his wife's hand. "I had a beautiful wife and two beautiful daughters. I told her that I didn't want her or her money. She got angry at me and started yelling about how she loved me more than Misty ever could. I asked her to leave. Then I made the mistake of telling her that I was going to tell Misty about the money. That's when she pushed me.

After that, I guess I died, so I don't remember anything." Sebastian finished. "I'm sorry Phoenix Wright, but I'm not sure how any of that will help you. It's all just heresay. I can't even testify either. I'm dead."

Phoenix slumped back in his chair. There had to be something.

"Are you absolutely sure there's nothing else?"

"I'm sure. I'm sorry-..." Sebastian stopped suddenly. "WAIT!" he cried. "There is something!"

"Yes? What is it?" Phoenix said, bolting upright.

"Morgan put her hand on the railing. The paint was wet! Tell me, is the house still there? Has anyone touched it or finished the building?"

"Yes, Maya and I were there only recently. It's still there and it's still unfinished." Phoenix answered.

"Then, my boy, that would mean that Morgan left her prints at the scene!" Sebastian grinned.

Phoenix felt all the air rush from his body. This was the breakthrough they had been waiting for. He had never felt so relieved in his entire life.

Just as he was about to thank Sebastian for his lifesaving information, Sister Bikini burst through the door.

"Mr Wright, Detective Gumshoe is on the phone for you. He said it is very, very urgent."

Phoenix nodded and quickly stood to go and take the call. There was a new spring in his step. They were so close to tying the entire thing up in a neat little package. Nothing could spoil his mood now.

Or so he thought.

* * *

**A/N: Cliffhanger! :D**


	38. Terror at Dusky Bridge

**A/N: Hey you guys. You know how I said I might have the next chapter up next week? Well it turns out that next week came sooner than anticipated. And here it is. Please excuse grammatical errors or spelling mistakes. I'm too impatient to wait for my beta reader.**

**I also just wanted to take a moment to thank everyone for reading and reviewing and sticking with me even though I have a tendency to vanish sometimes. I appreciate and read every single review and I only wish that I had time to respond to every one of you. You've made writing this fic super fun and I thank you.**

**It's almost ending. Is anyone else sad? I'm sad.**

* * *

"Gumshoe, It's Phoenix. What's going on?" Phoenix said quickly as he picked up the receiver.

"I'm so glad I was able to get a hold of you, pal. Why aren't you answering your cell?" Gumshoe said, frustrated.

"Reception up here is patchy. Is something the matter?"

"I'm afraid so." Gumshoe sighed. "I've just had my guys up in the chopper radio in that they think they saw Andre at Eagle Mountain. The forest is so thick though, they weren't able to land and apprehend him." Gumshoe explained.

"What is he doing here?" Phoenix frowned. "He couldn't possibly know she is alive. No one except you knows that we are here."

"I don't know, pal, but I wanted to give you the heads up so you can keep Maya safe." Gumshoe replied.

"Don't worry, Gumshoe. You can count on that." Phoenix said resolutely. Andre wasn't getting within a hundred feet of Maya if he had anything to say about it.

"Just keep an eye out, okay pal? My guys are still about thirty minutes away. Just keep Maya inside and we'll be there as soon as we can." Gumshoe instructed.

"Thanks, Detective." Phoenix said, hanging up the phone.

He strode quickly back towards the sitting room where Maya was waiting with Mia and her parents, his mind racing. Why was all of this happening? Why couldn't Andre just leave Maya alone? With his jaw set in a hard line and fingernails digging into his palms, he opened the door to the sitting room.

"Nick, what's going on?" Maya asked when she noticed the intense expression on his face.

"Nothing. Everything's fine," he lied. "I just need you to stay here for a bit."

"What? Why?" Maya questioned as the rest of her family looked on, concerned.

"Just do it, okay?" Phoenix snapped, the weight of the situation getting the better of him. "Mia, make sure she doesn't leave this room."

"Sure, Phoenix." Mia said frowning heavily as Phoenix closed the door and left again. He was acting strange, far more irritated than she had ever seen him. Mia knew then that something was very wrong. Whatever the detective had told Phoenix on the phone just now, it wasn't good. She pulled her confused sister over to her in a protective hug.

"_Whatever it is that you're doing, Phoenix... please be careful."_ Mia thought worriedly.

* * *

Andre tensed himself against the chill of the breeze. If the wind was getting colder, that meant he was most likely getting very close to Hazakurain. If he remembered the layout of the place correctly, he could bypass the main temple by heading straight where the path forked, which would lead him to Dusky Bridge. There was a rundown shack close to the bridge that he figured would make a decent enough hiding spot until the police search died down in a couple of days.

He had grabbed enough food from the kitchen in Fey Manor to last him at least three or four days. Then he would have to return to Kurain and work things out from there. Althea should have come up with something by then. He had noticed a chopper circling above earlier which made him very nervous, but they seemed to have dropped off. He hoped they didn't see him.

His breathing labored, Andre fought off waves of panic. For the first time in his life, what he was feeling was pure, all encompassing fear. But he still didn't feel any remorse for what he had done. Mystic Maya was a problem that needed to be taken care of, so he had taken care of it. But the possibility that he might now get caught and ultimately have to pay for his crimes was simply unfathomable.

"How... how did this happen. I don't understand," he muttered to himself, as he weaved through the thicket, wondering how his perfect plan could have become unfurled. How did the police even think to tap Morgan's phone? Why didn't he realise how much of a risk it was to repeat his plans over the phone? It was all because he had wanted to impress his mother, and now look where that had got him.

"Stupid," he berated himself. "Stupid, stupid, stupid! Now what will she think? Now she'll never love you as much as her precious Pearl."

Andre had honestly thought that all of this was going to work out in his favour. He knew that Morgan was due for parole in exactly eighteen months and he had envisioned the grandest of homecomings for her. With Maya out of the way, Morgan would assume ownership of Fey Manor. Even though Pearl would be master in an official capacity, Morgan would still be running things, free to welcome her son into her home and her life.

In time, she would come to see how much smarter and more useful Andre was than Pearl. Then she would favour him the most. Now, as Andre fled Kurain to save his life, that dream was slowly slipping away.

Picking up his pace, he felt a slight wash of relief when Hazakurain's main gate came into view, although it was soon replaced once again with the sick feeling he had been feeling in the pit of his stomach since he left Kurain.

Now all he had to do was make it to Heavenly Hall. Then he could think clearly and work out how to make this mess go away.

* * *

Phoenix zipped his hoodie up tightly and breathed a sigh of exasperation. He'd been searching the wooded area just outside the main gate for ten minutes now, but there had been no sign of Andre. He hoped that the police had got it wrong and it wasn't Andre that they had seen close by, but he wasn't taking any chances.

Clenching his fists at his sides, he pushed on. He couldn't remember feeling anger like this before. He could literally feel his blood thundering through his veins as he gritted his teeth. He knew he had to calm down and at least try to think rationally as his current state of mind wasn't helping Maya at all.

He sprinted back up towards the main gate heading through and taking the main path. There was no snow around at the moment, with the warm Spring sunshine having melted most of it away, but the chill in the air still made the wind bite at his exposed skin. Grimacing, he pulled his hood over his head as he reached the fork in the path.

He turned to his left to head back up to the main temple, but stopped after a few steps. Something was nagging at him to check the rest of the place out. He looked back in the direction of the Main Hall, not sure if he should follow this gut feeling, or return to Maya's side at the temple. If Andre had somehow made it to Hazakurain already and was hiding somewhere else close by, wouldn't it be better to search him out rather than just sit up at the temple waiting for him to come to them?

The idea was sound, but on the other hand, there was also the possibility that he had missed Andre somehow, and he was already at the main temple. Phoenix shuddered at the thought. He could just be wasting time out here while Maya's life hung in the balance. What if it was already too late? Panic welled within him as he tried to calm himself once more.

He squeezed his eyes shut, concentrating as hard as he could to try and find the clarity to make the right decision. Gumshoe had promised that the police would be here soon, and they would likely head straight for the main temple. Plus, Maya was safe in the back room of the main hall with her family, and her father wasn't about to let anyone near her. Of that, Phoenix was sure. It would only take him ten minutes or so to duck down to the bridge and courtyard to check everything out. Then he could return to Maya knowing he had done all he could., even if his search turned up nothing.

Satisfied that he had made the right choice, Phoenix turned away from the main temple and headed towards Dusky Bridge.

* * *

Maya paced nervously as Mia sat on the couch, chewing on her fingernails. Or rather, Eve's fingernails. Eve probably wouldn't be impressed by that once she got her body back, but it was a bad habit that Mia had never managed to kick.

"I hate it when he does this." Maya said. "Why couldn't he just tell us what's going on? Now I have to stay here going out of my mind worrying about him."

"Try not to worry, Maya." Mia said as reassuringly as she could. "I'm sure Phoenix knows what he's doing."

"He's annoying the hell out of me, that's what he's doing." Maya said, irritated.

"Now Maya, although I don't approve of him snapping at you the way he did, I think your sister's right." Sebastian said, trying to calm his daughter. "Something is wrong, and he's just trying to keep you safe. If he's not back in five minutes, I'll go and look for him, okay?"

Maya hung her head, before nodding in agreement.

"I'll come with you, Dad." Mia offered.

"Absolutely not." Sebastian said flatly. "It could be dangerous. I'm not leading my little girl into a dangerous situation."

"Dad, I think you're forgetting something important here," Mia said raising her eyebrows. "You're already leading someone else's little girl into a dangerous situation."

"Oh yeah... Right…" Sebastian said, stroking his chin. "I'm getting so used to being here again that I'm already forgetting that it's not permanent."

After a slight pause to consider what Mia had said, he shook his head and shrugged.

"Well we'll just have to make sure that we're careful. I'm sure these girls understand we have to do what we can to protect those that we love."

"Exactly." Mia agreed. "So I'm coming with you."

"Fine," Sebastian relented. "Maya, you have to stay here with your mother. If something is going on out there, it's you that we have to keep safe."

He moved closer to her again and hugged her tightly.

"I love you, Maya. You're my baby. Don't ever forget that," he whispered to her.

"I won't, Dad. I love you too." Maya responded.

Mia tapped her foot impatiently as the room once again descended into silence.

"C'mon Dad, we should just go now. What difference is a few minutes going to make?" Mia said, crossing her arms.

"Fine, fine. We'll go now. Misty, please take care of Maya. I'll tell Audrina to get the other acolytes to watch the door. Don't let anyone in unless you know who they are."

"Of course," she nodded as Mia and Sebastian left the room in search of Phoenix, leaving her alone in the room with Maya.

They could both feel the tension in the air as Misty worked up the courage to speak to her youngest daughter, who seemed unable to look her mother in the eye.

"Maya, please," she asked gently. "Come sit."

Maya paused for a moment, her expression unreadable before moving to sit next to her mother as she had asked. Misty picked up one of Maya's hands and began stroking her fingers absently. Fingers that looked so much like her own.

"Maya, I owe you an apology," Misty started.

"Mom, it's okay." Maya said flatly. "Really, you don't need to do this."

"Yes. Yes I do," Misty nodded, tears welling up in the corners of her eyes. "I abandoned you. At the time I convinced myself that I was doing the right thing. Then I convinced myself that you were better off without me. But now I can see that I made the wrong choices."

Maya said nothing, instead choosing to look down at their hands, which prompted her mother to continue.

"I should have protected you. I kept an eye on you. I knew about everything that happened. I should have come back after Morgan tried the first time. But I was afraid. Selfish and afraid. I hope you can forgive me, Maya."

Maya looked up at her mother as tears started to course down her cheeks.

"Why didn't you tell me? Last time you were here. Why did you have to pretend to be someone else?" Maya asked, her voice croaking.

Misty hung her head.

"I'd brought shame to the Fey name. While I was alive, for some reason, that seemed to be the most important thing. I didn't want you girls associated with the mess that I caused with DL-6. I pretended to be someone else because I thought it was important that I protected you from that. But now... now I know that those values that Kurain planted within me were all wrong. Family is most important. You were most important. "

"If I had children, I could never even imagine leaving them behind, especially if I had a sister as terrible as Morgan." Maya said softly, her tone of voice not at all matching the bluntness of her words.

Misty found it difficult to hold back her tears at the truth of her daughter's statement.

"Then you will be a far better mother than me," she stated simply, straightening her shoulders and sniffing back her tears. "Of this, I am sure."

Maya couldn't think of what to say as she watched her tears drip off the end of her nose and on to her robes.

"I just wanted you to know how sorry I am," Misty continued. "And if I could do it all again, I would go back in an instant and change everything. I'm so sorry, my darling."

Maya felt like her heart was breaking. Part of her wanted to remain mad at her mother. She had left her behind and never once tried to contact her, even after everything she had gone through. But at the same time her mother had grown up in Kurain, with all these whacked out values about how the village came first constantly forced down her throat. Misty had lived a lifetime with the very same stupid ideas that the elders were trying to force feed to her now.

Making up her mind that life was too short – way too short – to hold on to grudges, she turned towards her mother, wrapping her arms around her and resting her head on her shoulder.

"It's okay, Mom. I forgive you. "

Misty began crying openly at the words she never thought she would be fortunate enough to hear.

"I know I don't deserve it, but thank you Maya."

Maya pulled back, offering her mother a sad smile.

"You're going to be ten times the Master I was." Misty said proudly, looking down at her beautiful, compassionate daughter. "You have a beautiful soul, Maya Fey. You're just what that village needs."

Maya hugged her mother once again, but their tender moment was soon to be shattered by a commotion outside the room.

Rushing to the door, Misty opened it to find out what was happening. Someone had started ringing the bell and the newer group of young acolytes from Kurain seemed to be rushing everywhere. Grabbing a hold of the first person within reach, which happened to be Iris, Misty managed to stop her long enough to ask some questions.

"What's going on?" Misty asked.

"I don't know," Iris replied. "But I think there's something going on over at Dusky Bridge. Someone is yelling and fighting but I don't know who. Sister Bikini just told me to call the police. The new girls are very frightened."

"Oh my god... Phoenix is out there!" Maya cried as she peered over her Misty's shoulder. In a flash she shot past her mother and cousin, running as fast as she could towards the temple doors.

"Maya, wait!" Misty called out, but to no avail.

* * *

Phoenix realised that his gut feeling had been correct when he spotted a lone male ducking into the bushes that headed towards Heavenly Hall.

"Hey!" Phoenix called. "Hey you! Stop!"

The male turned around to see who had called before turning and running, quickly disappearing from Phoenix's vision.

"Damn it," Phoenix cursed, taking off into a sprint after him. He just knew it was Andre. He wouldn't have been running if it wasn't. Ducking and weaving his way through the bushes, it wasn't long until he started gaining on him. As he got closer, he could definitely make out the sharp features of Andre Fey. Gritting his teeth together, he allowed the anger building within him to fuel his body. He moved faster than he ever had before. His lungs were burning from the cold air, but there was no way he was stopping now.

"Andre, stop now!" Phoenix yelled, but it had no affect at all. He was still gaining ground, mainly due to the fact that Andre appeared to be carrying a heavy backpack. Andre darted out through the bushes to the right with Phoenix following closely behind, bringing them into a clearing. Phoenix recognised that they had made it to Dusky Bridge.

Using every ounce of his strength, Phoenix lunged at Andre, and successfully tackled him to the ground. Andre hit the ground with a sickening thud, with Phoenix falling on top of him. Andre squirmed trying his hardest to get away, but Phoenix was taller and heavier.

Rolling Andre on to his back, Phoenix managed to punch him square in the nose. In a moment of panic, Andre brought a knee upwards, connecting directly with Phoenix's ribs which winded him temporarily. The small lapse of control was enough for Andre to scramble away from Phoenix. He struggled to his feet, shrugging off his backpack. He turned back to face Phoenix, who was still on the ground, clutching his ribs.

"I won't let you near her," Phoenix coughed, recovering his breath.

Andre wiped his bleeding nose with the back of his hand, spitting the blood that had trickled into his mouth on to the ground beside him.

"You're too late, lawyer." Andre said mockingly, his chest heaving. "Haven't the police told you about Ami Fey's cabin?"

"What are you talking about?" Phoenix spat, glaring at Andre as he struggled to his feet.

"Burned to ashes. With your precious Maya sleeping inside." Andre gloated, in between heavy breaths.

A terrifying sound… something primal and guttural emerged from Phoenix's throat as he lunged again at Andre. Phoenix barely registered the information that Andre seemed to have no idea that Maya was still alive as his fist connected with the young Fey's face once again.

"I won't let you hurt her again! Never!" Phoenix roared as he punched Andre a third time, before picking him up by the collar of his shirt and slamming him back into the ground.

Andre coughed as the air rushed from his lungs on contact with the rocky ledge.

"She's already dead, you imbecile!" he spat at Phoenix, somehow managing to free one of his arms. He swung his fist at Phoenix, connecting with his temple.

Phoenix momentarily lost his balance, providing Andre with the perfect opportunity to knock him to the side. With all of his force, Andre pushed Phoenix off of him, sending him hurtling toward the edge of the ravine.

Phoenix managed to stop himself before he got to close to the edge, but Andre wasn't going to waste such a rare moment of weakness from the former attorney. He shuffled closer, shoving Phoenix closer to the edge. Andre delighted in the fear on Phoenix's face as the man felt his legs fall over the edge.

Using all of his upper body strength, Phoenix desperately tried to hold on as Andre pulled himself to his feet. A sinister smirk spread across his lips as he peered down at his next victim, desperately trying to pull himself up on to the ledge. Andre wiped his bloody nose again, before crouching down closer to Phoenix.

"I guess this is it, Phoenix Wright," he shrugged. "It's been fun."

"You won't get away with this." Phoenix groaned, still trying to pull himself up. "The police are on their way."

"They'll be too late to save you." Andre laughed.

"Maybe. But you'll never lay a finger on Maya again." Phoenix glared, smirking triumphantly despite the fact that his life was now on the line.

"Why do you keep talking like that?" Andre screeched, his face contorting into a mask of insanity. "Maya Fey is DEAD! She's dead because I KILLED HER!"

"Nick!"

Andre's head snapped around in the direction of Maya's voice. He shook his head, uttering an unintelligible sound. It didn't make sense. He couldn't believe that he was seeing her desperately trying to get away from the people restraining her to run to the aid of Phoenix. Was this some sort of trick? How was this possible? She was dead! He was sure of it!

Andre's moment of weakness in his confusion was the only opening that Phoenix needed. The moment Andre turned his back on him, Phoenix reached out, gripping Andre by the ankle. The action caused Andre to lose his balance, falling backwards and tumbling over the edge of the ravine and down into the river below.

Almost immediately Phoenix registered a strong pair of arms assisting him back up on to the ledge, as Sebastian Fey rushed to pull him to safety. Scrambling away from the edge, Phoenix struggled to catch his breath. Maya was by his side in an instant, crying as she clutched at his jacket, pulling him into a hug as she sobbed.

"Nick, please don't ever scare me like that again. I thought I was going to lose you… I thought…" she trailed off, burying her face in his shoulder. He wrapped an arm around her, patting her back soothingly.

"It's okay Maya. I've just got a few bumps and bruises. I'll be okay," he reassured her as she continued to cry.

"Nick… I couldn't… without you… I can't…" Maya continued to stammer through her tears. Phoenix tightened his hold on her.

"Shhh, Maya," he soothed. "It's alright. Everything is going to be alright."

"How many times are you going to fall into that ravine to protect my sister, Phoenix?" Mia asked, her small joke masking the concern she was feeling.

"As many times as I need to," Phoenix responded dryly. Mia smiled.

"What is she talking about, Nick?" Maya asked, raising her head from his shoulder.

"Nothing," Phoenix said, smiling gently at her, before placing a kiss on her forehead.

Looking around, Phoenix became aware of the amount of people surrounding him. There must have been about fifty police officers combing the area, most notably Gumshoe heading towards him at full steam.

"Pal, are you alright?" Gumshoe said when he finally reached his fallen friend.

"I'm fine, Gumshoe." Phoenix said with a small nod. "But Andre fell into the river. You'll need to send someone down there so he doesn't get away again."

"Already taken care of." Gumshoe said. "There's a search and rescue team on their way down there now. He won't get away this time. We have the whole mountainside covered from here to Kurain."

"You've really outdone yourself here, Gumshoe." Phoenix said genuinely. "Thank you for all your help."

"It's nothing, pal. I'm just doing my job." Gumshoe said, a little embarrassed. He had to admit that he was quite proud of the way he had managed to pull the investigation together. It wasn't often that Dick Gumshoe got everything right. But this time, he managed it when it really counted.

Phoenix nodded in thanks, as he motioned to Maya that he wanted to try and stand up. She draped his arm over her shoulder and helped him to his feet, with another helping hand from Sebastian Fey.

"Phoenix Wright, you've most definitely proven yourself worthy of my baby girl," Sebastian said, patting Phoenix on the back.

"Did you hear that Maya?" Phoenix said with a weak smile as he turned towards her. "Your Dad likes me. And all I had to do was almost get myself killed."

"A sense of humour, hey? I like it." Sebastian chuckled. "Trust me, my boy. You'll need it in this family. Wait until the elders start giving you hell."

"Hopefully they won't be too much of a problem once we go and tell Althea the truth." Phoenix said, grimacing as he tried to stretch the muscles around his injured ribs.

"We should get you to a hospital," Mia suggested with a frown. Phoenix shook his head, waving her off.

"I'm fine," he said. "There's still too much to take care of. Andre might be out of the picture, but we still need to finish what we started. Morgan is going down."

Mia accepted his answer, but still frowned with worry over her injured friend.

"Gumshoe," Phoenix called. "I need you to do something for me."

"Anything, pal." Gumshoe said with a nod.

"There's an unfinished house out on Woodlands Road, about 45 minutes out of Kurain. I need you to go and check the railing on the second storey balcony at the back for a handprint dried in the paintwork. Maya's father says that Morgan put her hand on the wet paint the day that she murdered him."

Gumshoe blinked heavily, trying to absorb the information that clearly wasn't adding up in his mind.

"But Sebastian Fey is dead, pal. How could he have told you that?"

Sebastian glanced back and forth between Phoenix and Gumshoe, before raising an eyebrow.

"Is this guy for real?" he asked Phoenix, motioning to the detective.

"I'm as real as they come, sir!" Gumshoe said, extending his hand. "Dick Gumshoe, at your service."

"Sebastian Fey," Sebastian responded with a slight smirk, returning the detective's handshake.

Gumshoe looked over at Phoenix, then back to Sebastian, then back to Phoenix once more, clearly confused.

"I think I'm going to go check out that house." Gumshoe said slowly.

Phoenix and Sebastian watched him make a hasty retreat, before Phoenix turned, grinning at Maya's father.

"You know, we've explained this whole channelling thing to him time and time again over the last few years. I guess it's just harder for some people to understand."

"I guess so," Sebastian agreed, still frowning in the direction that Gumshoe had headed off in. Closing his eyes, he turned to his wife.

"Misty, I just felt a rather sharp pain in my forehead. Care to tell me what that means?"

"It means our time here is almost up," Misty responded sadly. "We should get back to the temple."

* * *

Back in the sitting room at the main hall, Maya fussed over the large bruise forming around the outer side of Phoenix's left eye and the top of his cheekbone, where Andre had landed his punch.

"Here, put some ice on it." Maya said, pressing the cold compress against his cheek.

"Ow," he grimaced, pulling back.

"Nick, it's swelling. We have to get the swelling down!" Maya reasoned, leaning in with the ice pack once again.

"You're too rough. Give it here, I'll do it." Phoenix said, taking the ice pack from her hands and resting it gingerly against his cheek. He had no doubt that there were plenty of other bruises and scrapes littered over his body as well. He made a mental note to try and hide them from Maya.

"Aren't they cute?" Mia sighed to her mother, as they observed the pair from across the room.

"Yes, they sure are." Misty said, smiling happily. It was a comforting feeling knowing that there was someone who would always make sure no one ever hurt her daughter.

"Comforting, isn't it?" Mia said, as if reading her thoughts.

Misty nodded.

"He'll always take care of her."

Closing her eyes against yet another head pain, Misty inhaled sharply. It was most definitely time to leave.

"Maya..." Misty called. "It's time," she finished sadly.

Maya ceased fussing over Phoenix immediately, her face falling into a sad frown.

"I wish all of you could stay," she said dejectedly.

"I wish we could stay too," Sebastian agreed. "But we don't belong here anymore."

Maya nodded her understanding as she stood up, moving over to her parents, embracing them both. They hugged each other in silence for a moment, until Sebastian motioned for Mia to join them. Without a word, Mia slipped herself under her father's shoulder and wrapped her other arm around Maya.

Phoenix watched on as Maya's family shared an emotional embrace. He was happy that Maya got to do this. Her whole family was together one last time, and he knew it was a moment that she would cherish forever.

"What are you doing, Phoenix? Get over here." Misty instructed, beckoning him closer with the hand she had around Maya.

"That's okay," Phoenix said with a smile. "I don't think I could bring myself to interrupt this family moment."

"I think it's safe to say that you're a part of this family, whether you like it or not, Phoenix Wright," Sebastian reasoned. "Don't make me get mad at you for ignoring my wife's request."

Phoenix smiled as he pulled himself to his feet. He definitely couldn't say no after that. Gritting his teeth against the pain in his muscles, he moved over to Maya, wrapping an arm around her waist as he slotted himself in next to her mother.

"Misty, don't we have a beautiful family?" Sebastian asked his wife with a smile.

"Yes we do, Sebastian," she responded, hugging everyone just that little bit tighter.

As the family broke apart, Sebastian turned to his bleary eyed youngest daughter, leaning down to talk to her at eye level.

"Now Maya, your mother and I have to go soon, but I want you to behave yourself okay? Absolutely NO dying. I don't want to see you on my side for a very long time. Do you hear me?"

Maya chuckled as she sniffed back her tears, nodding at her father.

"I also want lots of happy, healthy, grandchildren too. So you need to stick around for that." He glanced over at Phoenix. "But also not for a very long time. Wait... at least ten more years. Maybe fifteen."

"Dad..." Maya groaned.

"I'm just saying..." he shrugged.

Maya smiled again at her father as she wiped the tears from her eyes.

"Phoenix Wright," he said, turning to Phoenix and offering his hand. "Take care of my baby girl. If anything happens to her, I'll be waiting. Just remember that."

"I promise." Phoenix said, shaking his hand.

With that, Sebastian stepped back, allowing Misty to get closer to Maya. She placed her hands either side her daughters face, frowning sadly as she surveyed her pretty features.

"I love you so much, Maya. I always have," she sniffed.

"I know, Mom." Maya replied, wrapping her arms around her mother's neck in a final embrace.

"Thank you... for everything," she said, turning to Phoenix, who nodded in reply. She moved back across the room to Sebastian, as they prepared to head back to the other side.

"I'm going to go too, you guys." Mia said. "Eve needs a rest. But if ANYTHING at all happens. ANYTHING. You guys have someone channel me, okay? You have to promise. "

"We will," Phoenix said, pulling Maya closer to him.

Mia gave them one last smile, and with that, the three of them were gone, leaving three exhausted acolytes in their place.

Maya turned to Phoenix, burying her face in his chest as she was unable to hold back her tears anymore. Uncontrollable sobs wracked her body as he stroked her back soothingly.

"Is she okay?" Jess asked cautiously.

Phoenix nodded silently.

"You girls go get some rest. She'll be fine."

Phoenix kissed the top of Maya's head as the acolytes left them alone in the room.

"For a moment, just for a moment there, Nick. It felt so real," she sobbed. "They were all here. They were all here with me. But now they're gone again."

Phoenix closed his eyes at the pang he felt in his chest at Maya's words. His heart ached with the pain he knew she was feeling. He longed for the day when he and Maya could have their own family. They'd get married, have lots of kids and live a long, happy, normal life.

It might take a while to get there and there might be many obstacles in the way, but as he held the crying woman in his arms closer, Phoenix vowed that they would get there.

One day, they would get there.

* * *

**A/N: So. The cliffhanger actually turned out to be an actual CLIFF HANGER.**

**Hey? Hey? Get it?**

**See what I did there?**

**One more chapter and an epilogue to go. Next time, the gang confronts Althea!**


	39. Never Goodbye

**A/N: I've been trying to finish this chapter since I posted Chapter 38, but I keep getting distracted by my epilogue. I'm having so much fun writing it. I hope you guys will love it as well as the questions it raises. **

**But enough about the epilogue, here is the final instalment of the fic that took me three years to get finished. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have enjoyed writing it and reading all of your reviews.**

* * *

Phoenix's eyes felt heavy as the train rattled along towards Kurain. He struggled to remember the last time he had managed to get a full, uninterrupted nights sleep and was drawing a blank. The last month had been crazy. The emotional ups and downs had been dizzying to say the least. He wondered when everything would settle down, _if_ everything would ever settle down. Inhaling deeply, he rubbed at his eyes, earning him a concerned look from Maya, who sat across from him with Sister Bikini.

"Are you okay, Nick?" she asked with a frown.

Phoenix nodded weakly, before trying his best to straighten up in his seat. He blinked a few times, opening his eyes wider to make himself feel more alert. The truth was, his whole body hurt like hell and he would have paid a million bucks for a soft bed right now, but Maya didn't need to worry herself with that. She had enough to worry about as it was.

His attempts at proving he was fine seemed to placate Maya, at least temporarily as she turned her attention to Sister Bikini. The older woman sat beside her, wringing her hands nervously. Maya placed a hand protectively over hers.

"It's all going to be okay, Sister Bikini," she said soothingly. "This is it. The end. You can finally let go."

Sister Bikini nodded gratefully at Maya's words, but Phoenix wasn't sure if they actually registered or not. There was no doubt in his mind that this was hard for her. She hadn't left Hazakurain in twenty five years. But she had asked to come with them. She wanted to see her mother when the truth was finally told. Maya squeezed the woman's hand affectionately. She too knew the hurt of a mothers abandonment, even if their circumstances were not the same.

The weary trio pulled themselves to their feet as the train pulled into the station. Although the journey had not taken any longer than usual, it had felt like an eternity since they had left Hazakurain.

Lifting his chin and straightening his shoulders, Phoenix stepped out on to the platform. This was no time to be giving up. It was nearly over.

"There you are, pal. I thought you weren't going to make it." Gumshoe greeted them as he approached.

"Sorry Detective. We missed the first train and had to wait twenty minutes for the next one to pass through," Phoenix explained. "Any news?"

"Plenty," the detective said with a curt nod. "We picked up Andre about half a mile down river from where he fell. No serious injuries. Broken nose, fractured jaw. Just superficial stuff that will heal. Mild case of hypothermia too. He's lucky he fell far enough back to hit the river. If he'd have hit the bank, it would've been a totally different story."

Phoenix nodded as they began their walk towards the main gates. He felt kind of guilty about the injuries he had inflicted on the boy, but quickly shook it off. Andre had tried to kill Maya, and he had almost killed him. If he had fallen from where he was hanging on, there would have been no river to cushion his fall this time. Just jagged rocks. Phoenix would never forget how incredibly lucky he was. He kept his eyes trained on Maya, who walked a few feet ahead with Sister Bikini. Keeping an eye on her at all times was becoming a habit.

"But here's the bad news," Gumshoe continued. "He keeps screaming about how you channelled Maya to trick him and that she's really dead. The kid is crazy. Incriminating himself all over the place. I don't know what he's talking about but I can honestly tell you that no judge is going to convict him of first degree murder. If he goes for the insanity plea, he'll get it, no doubt."

"Well technically, Maya isn't dead, so he can't be charged with her murder anyway," Phoenix said.

"I know," Gumshoe nodded. "But we're still investigating him in the Lillian Fey case. If he's guilty of that one I don't know how we can prove it was premeditated. The psych will take one look at him and commit him."

"That's still better than having him out here," Phoenix sighed. "But I think we both know a prosecutor that could probably get the job done. Something tells me he would be more than willing to help."

Gumshoe grinned.

"Good thinking, pal."

"Did you end up checking out the house?" Phoenix asked hopefully. It was a long shot. There was every chance that the paint could have been weathered away by many years of sun and rain, but Phoenix still clung to the hope that Sebastian had come up with a winning hand.

"I was getting to that," Gumshoe replied. "I was a bit worried when we got out there, pal. A lot of the paint had flaked away over the years. The railing that you told us to check had practically no paint left."

Phoenix swore under his breath. He knew it was too good to be true.

"But..." Gumshoe continued, "...when we looked a little closer, we discovered that the railing was curved. The paint on the underside was completely intact. She must have been pretty mad and gripped that thing hard, because we found three perfectly preserved fingerprints that match Morgan Fey's."

"That's fantastic!" Phoenix said, grinning widely.

"Given the fact that it was noted in the police report that the paint was still wet when the body was found, her fingerprints in that paint is enough to place Morgan at the scene at the time Maya's father died." Gumshoe said.

"Which means she's going back to trial," Phoenix finished.

"Correct."

"Edgeworth might have more than one case on his hands then," Phoenix said, feeling as if a tremendous weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Maya's father turned out to be an amazing man, even to the bitter end.

"Say, pal?" Gumshoe asked, frowning.

"Yeah?"

"Was that guy I met earlier really Maya's father? I don't see how it's possible, that's all."

If he were to be perfectly honest, the person Gumshoe had met was Mystic Jess. Smiling to himself, Phoenix decided to mess with Gumshoe one last time.

"Yes and no," Phoenix said, winking at the detective before moving past him to catch up with Maya.

Gumshoe shuffled after him, shaking his head.

"I don't get it, pal."

* * *

"You guys wait out here," Phoenix instructed Maya and Sister Bikini as they stood at the door to Althea's office. Gumshoe and I will go in and speak to her first. We'll see if she's willing to cooperate."

Maya nodded in reply. She had gotten some interesting looks as she walked through the village towards the council chambers, but no one had dared approach her. She wondered if that was because of the fact that they believed she was dead, or whether it was because she was with Phoenix and the detective.

Maya stroked Sister Bikini's back gently as they sat on the chair outside the office. She wondered where Pearl was. She hoped the little girl was okay. Looking up at Phoenix as he turned the doorknob, she offered him an encouraging nod. He smiled and nodded back, their silent exchange a symbol of mutual support. Even when it had all seemed stacked against them, they had turned things around and won. Mia would be so proud.

As Phoenix opened the door and strode into Althea Fey's office, he kind of wished he was wearing his suit and tie.

He was feeling quite lawyerly at that very moment.

* * *

"Hello Althea," Phoenix grinned as he walked into the office. "Lovely day, isn't it?"

Althea Fey looked up from her desk, her expression shocked. What was this man doing in her office? And why was he so cheery? Surely he had heard...

"I thought I told you to never set foot in Kurain again." Althea said icily. Phoenix smiled smugly as he stuffed his hands in his pockets. "If you don't leave now, I'm going to call the poli-..."

Althea trailed off as Detective Gumshoe entered the room.

"The police are already here," Phoenix shrugged. "Are you going to arrest me, Gumshoe?" he asked, turning to his detective friend.

"Nope." Gumshoe said, shaking his head as he offered Althea a small, insincere smile.

"What do you want?" Althea seethed.

Phoenix sighed as he moved towards Althea's desk, pulling out a chair and sitting across from her.

"I just want to talk," Phoenix said simply. "I think there are a lot of things that you don't know that you probably should know."

"I don't have anything to say to you," Althea said. "I'm sure you have heard about Mystic Maya by now, so you'll surely understand that I have a lot to take care of. Good day, Mr Wright," she finished, raising her voice.

Phoenix felt his lip twitch at the mention of Maya's name. Proving Althea wrong was going to be all too satisfying.

"Did you think we wouldn't work it out?" Phoenix said, shaking his head.

"What are you talking about?" Althea asked, becoming noticeably more flustered at Phoenix's confidence.

"The money, Althea." Phoenix said, sighing heavily. "The deposits to Morgan's bank account. Pearl's trust fund. Tell me, who authorised those?"

Althea went as white as a sheet. She opened and closed her mouth a few times, trying to find the correct words, but ultimately came up with nothing.

"You don't understand..." she finally managed, her voice barely a whisper.

"Oh I understand perfectly, Althea. Morgan was blackmailing you." Phoenix said simply. "But you want to know what your biggest mistake was?"

Althea stared at Phoenix, waiting for him to continue.

"Your biggest mistake was believing her lies in the first place." Phoenix leaned in, placing his hands on Althea's desk as he spoke. "Your daughter didn't start that fire, Morgan did. She set Audrina up to take the fall and you bought it. You abandoned your daughter for nothing."

Phoenix watched at Althea balled her fists and began to take uneven, shallow breaths. For a moment he started to worry that perhaps she would have a heart attack as tears began to well in the corners of her eyes.

"No..." Althea breathed, shaking her head. "No, that's not possible."

"I'm afraid it is." Phoenix said, trying his hardest to steel himself against Althea's emotions. While it was true that she had been fooled by Morgan, she still didn't deserve an inch of his pity.

"No!" Althea cried, standing and pointing to the door. "Get out! I will not listen to this nonsense!" Get out!"

Phoenix remained seated.

"I can tell you the whole story if you like," he continued, unaffected.

"No! You're a liar! Everything was fine until you showed up. Why didn't you just stay away? Why must you come here with your lies and your accusations? We were just fine!" Althea yelled.

"Just fine?" Phoenix said, slamming his hands down on to the desk as he stood. "You call multiple assassination attempts on your leader 'just fine'? What is the matter with you?"

"What happened to Mystic Maya was a terrible accident," Althea said, attempting to calm herself as she sat at her desk once more. "None of us could have done anything to prevent it."

"Oh cut the crap, Althea! Andre has already been arrested for attempted murder. We know all about Lillian too and how you covered that one up. Don't you realise what you're doing?" Phoenix said angrily.

"Attempted murder?" Althea repeated, shocked. They had caught Andre?

Phoenix stood and moved over to the door. Althea watched him open it and speak to someone on the outside. As he turned around and walked back in, Althea could barely believe her eyes. Following him into the room was Mystic Maya, her expression more intense than she had ever seen it before.

Shaking her head, she couldn't take her eyes off the girl.

"No..." she said, continuing to shake her head. "No it can't be. You've had someone channel her to trick me. Maya is dead."

Maya clenched her fists at her sides. She had been listening to the conversation from outside and was dying to give Althea Fey a piece of her mind. She had been thinking about what she would say to her ever since she had that last conversation with her mother. There were many things wrong with Kurain, and it was time to make some changes.

"I can assure you, Althea, that I am most definitely alive," Maya seethed as she moved closer to Althea's desk. "Your little plan didn't work. I wasn't in that cabin. I was at Hazakurain."

Althea didn't know how to respond. She couldn't think of anything to say.

"I know about everything. I know you have been stealing money from the village for Morgan, I know that you lied about that law being abolished. I know that you were aware that Andre killed Lillian and I know that you sent him to kill me too!" Maya said, her voice brimming with anger.

"No," Althea said, shaking her head. "You've got it all wrong. I had nothing to do with that. He... he ... it was all his idea. You have to believe me."

"But you didn't try to stop him, did you?" Maya spat. "How can you sit there and act like you're doing what's best for the village? You don't know the first thing about this village. You know, I've realised something. Something very important that my mother realised too."

Althea sat in shock as Maya continued her outburst.

"Family. Family is most important. The Fey's are a family and I think everyone has forgotten that. What is Kurain without the family that lives in it? It's nothing. It's time to stop all this nonsense about how the village has to come first, because it's worthless. Our bond with each other should be what comes first. I grew up without my mother because people like you decided that our reputation mattered more than we did as people, and you thrust that upon her until her own guilt drove her away. Your own daughter has spent twenty five years without you in her life because you believe that she has shamed the family with something that was an accident! Do you understand how crazy that is? She didn't even start the fire anyway!"

Tears began rolling down Althea's cheeks, but Maya wasn't finished.

"You've let Morgan control you with her lies for too long, Althea. You're not doing what is best for Kurain. You've been doing what was best for my pathetic, evil, lying disgrace of an Aunt. She's been playing you this whole time."

Phoenix reached out, touching Maya's shoulder in support. She relaxed a little, speaking again to the distraught elder at a lower volume.

"I plan to run this village my way and nothing that you say or do can change my mind. You've made a lot of mistakes and done a lot of bad things, Althea. You had to realise that this day was going to come."

Althea shook her head disbelievingly. She honestly hadn't. She had really convinced herself that she was doing the right thing, but she had been so wrong.

How could she have done this to her only daughter? Why did she believe Morgan? The truth that she had hung on to for so long began to crack like a broken mirror. Her life and all her beliefs were coming undone.

Althea looked up at Maya and Phoenix, her red rimmed eyes brimming with more tears. She looked tired, defeated. The woman had aged a lifetime in the last ten minutes. Gone was the staunch authoritarian that Maya had grown up fearing. Before her was a humble mother with a lifetime of regrets.

"I suppose you're going to arrest me, detective?" Althea asked Gumshoe.

"I'm afraid so, ma'am," he replied, scratching the back of his head. "You've withheld information from the police, which makes you an accessory to murder. But we might be able to make a deal in exchange for testimony against Morgan and Andre Fey."

Althea nodded solemnly as she moved around her desk. She stopped in front of the detective, offering her wrists so that he could handcuff her. Gumshoe moved to place the handcuffs on, but stopped when Maya placed a hand on his, shaking her head gently.

"I don't think she will resist, Gumshoe." Maya said. "Let her walk out of Kurain with some dignity."

Althea looked up at Maya in surprise. She had been so tragically wrong about this girl, and that had almost cost Maya her life. Her strength, her convictions, her morals... Maya Fey was exactly what this village had been craving. A level headed leader who cared for the people. Even at times when they didn't deserve it.

"I'm... I'm so sorry, Maya." Althea said quietly as Gumshoe led her to the door. Maya nodded in reply. It would take some time before she could forgive Althea for all she had done, but she recognised the woman's sincerity.

As the four of them exited the office, Althea's eyes remained downcast.

"Detective, can we have a minute?"

Althea's eyes snapped up at the sound of a voice she could never have forgotten, no matter how long it had been. She broke down as her eyes landed on her daughter, whose face she had not seen in twenty five long years. Tears ran free as her lip trembled, and she tried to find the right words.

"Audrina... I... I'm so sorry... I wish... I... Audrina..." Althea stammered.

Bikini frowned as she blinked back her own tears. It hurt so much to see her mother again, and it was going to take time to heal the emotional wounds, but she couldn't help remembering the words of wisdom that Maya had given her as they walked from the train station.

"_Find it in your heart to forgive her, Sister Bikini. She's still here. You still have a chance to make up for lost time. I would give anything to have my mother back. I don't want you to feel the hurt that I do."_

Without a word, Sister Bikini moved towards her mother and wrapped her arms around her in an unexpected hug. Althea was shocked at first, before the reality of what was happening sunk in and she hugged her daughter back, tighter than she thought she could as the pair cried openly.

Detective Gumshoe waited to the side awkwardly as Maya smiled a bittersweet smile at the scene. One of the most wonderful, powerful and amazing gifts that a human being can give is forgiveness.

"C'mon, Nick." Maya whispered to Phoenix as she stood on her tiptoes. "Let's go find Pearly."

* * *

Phoenix slid the door open and stepped out of Maya's quarters and on to the Winding Way. Maya leant on the railing, looking out over the garden as the last traces of orange disappeared from the sky, leaving behind rich purples as the night fell.

A day had passed since Gumshoe had taken Althea away. They had been given the good news that Morgan was to be officially charged with the first degree murder of Sebastian Fey and Luciana Armando, along with twenty three counts of manslaughter for the fire at Hazakurain. Althea Fey had agreed to testify in exchange for a reduced sentence and Sister Bikini would be testifying as well. Godot had even agreed to submit a written testimony as Diego Armando. There was no way Morgan was getting out of this one.

Andre had been charged with the murder of Lillian Fey, along with the attempted murder of Maya Fey. Phoenix had been shocked to learn that Kristoph Gavin was Andre's defense attorney, but not so shocked to hear that he had already entered an insanity plea.

Maya had spent the day cleaning up the mess in Kurain. An emergency town meeting and a meeting of the elder council had been called to ensure everyone that Mystic Maya was indeed alive and was back in Kurain for the foreseeable future.

Phoenix and Maya had found Pearl in Maya's quarters yesterday afternoon, asleep in her bed. When they had awoken her she was so ecstatic to see her cousin that she was convinced she was dreaming. Pearl then refused to let Maya out of her sight for the entirety of the day today, only relenting to sit with Phoenix when Maya had to conduct official duties. Phoenix had just finished tucking her in, but now she was asking to say goodnight to Maya once again.

"There you are. Pearls wants you to go and tuck her in." Phoenix said, moving behind Maya and slipping his hands around her waist. The smooth satin of her master's robes was cool to the touch, but soon warmed up under the heat of his hands.

"Didn't I already do that?" Maya asked with a small smile.

"Yep. But she wants to see you again. You can hardly blame her." Phoenix replied.

"I know, I'll go see her in a minute," Maya smiled. Poor Pearl had been through a lot.

Phoenix leaned closer, brushing his cheek against the elaborate knot her hair had been styled in while inhaling the scent of her vanilla shampoo. Somehow, it seemed only fitting that Maya would be drawn to fragrances that smelled like food.

"Have you decided whether you're going to press charges against Althea over the money?" Phoenix asked.

"I have," Maya said with a soft sigh. "The money has come back to Kurain now anyway. I don't see what doing so would achieve."

Phoenix nodded. It was true. Althea didn't steal the money for herself and was not likely to do anything like that again.

"Besides, she's going to go and live at Hazakurain once she is released. She won't have access to the funds anymore."

"That's great," Phoenix said.

"Yeah," Maya agreed. "I hope her and Sister Bikini can sort everything out."

Phoenix nodded in reply. The pair settled into a comfortable silence as the sky darkened around them. A bevy of lanterns danced like tiny fireflies off in the distance. Phoenix remembered they had been hanging at the memorial gardens. He reminded himself to go and leave some flowers for Mia before he left.

"Oh, Edgeworth called about half an hour ago." Phoenix remembered as Maya leant back from the railing and against him, covering his hands with her own.

"Hmm?" she enquired, urging Phoenix to elaborate.

"He's getting on a plane shortly. He's been in Germany for the last week, but he's coming back to prosecute Morgan and Andre." Phoenix explained.

"It's real nice of him to do that for us," Maya said.

"He says it's the least he can do," Phoenix shrugged lightly.

"You think he can take Kristoph Gavin?" Maya asked.

"Are you kidding?" Phoenix scoffed. "I'd almost call it unfair."

Maya's mention of Kristoph sent Phoenix's thoughts back once again to the issue of his disbarment. The Gramarye case had been pushed to the back of his mind after the events of the last week, but now he was going to have to deal with it. He didn't want to allow himself to think about it, but he knew it would mean leaving her. They had already had a conversation about the case the night prior, but both of them had skirted the real issue. He sighed heavily. He hated having to do this.

"I've got to go back," Phoenix said finally.

Maya nodded solemnly. She knew this time would come.

"Tonight?" she asked, hoping his answer would be no.

"It's probably for the best," Phoenix sighed sadly.

Maya exhaled heavily. They had talked a little last night about what Phoenix thought had happened and who he believed might be involved. He told her that Edgeworth had told him to take in the little girl too, which she had agreed with. They needed to keep her safe.

But at the end of the day, Phoenix was still absolutely determined to keep her out of whatever mess he had found himself in. He believed that she had been through enough. Besides, she now had a village to run.

"You told me once that you'd wait for me," Maya began, recalling their last tearful goodbye at the train station. "You do realise that it works both ways."

"I should damn well hope so," Phoenix said, tightening his arms around her waist. "If you think I'm letting you go, you're crazy."

Maya laughed softly, stroking his hand. That was the answer she had been hoping for.

"I guess I'm going to have to get used to goodbyes then." Maya shrugged. "I have a feeling there might be a few of them while you work this out."

"No." Phoenix said resolutely, shaking his head. "Never goodbye. In fact, let's strike that word from the record. Goodbye no longer exists."

"Well what then?" Maya asked.

Phoenix was silent for a moment as he thought of a suitable replacement.

"We'll say, 'see you soon'. That way, I can always keep it in the back of my mind that I'll be seeing you soon."

"See you soon," Maya repeated. "I like that."

"Good." Phoenix said with a nod. "I'm tired of goodbyes."

"I thought we said that word didn't exist anymore?" Maya smiled.

"Good, you're catching on." Phoenix laughed lightly.

"Oh Nick," Maya said sadly. "Who's going to buy me burgers now?"

Phoenix couldn't help but laugh at Maya's attempt to lighten the mood. Somehow, at that point, he just knew that they were going to be okay. It wasn't going to be easy, and he would miss her like crazy, but they had a bond that couldn't be broken. They could make it through anything.

"You know, I think the last train might have already left..." Maya said with a cheeky smile, knowing full well that it was a lie.

"Is that so?" Phoenix asked, pressing his lips against her cheek.

"Yep. I guess you'll just have to leave in the morning then," Maya whispered, smiling in return when she felt him smile against her ear.

* * *

**A/N: I didn't want to opt for a sad, tearful goodbye. I think I've put them through enough. So instead I leave you with something a bit more hopeful.**

**That's it guys, my little tale is told. I'm sad, happy, relieved and devastated all at the same time. My super happy fluffy epilogue and any other authors notes I can think of should be coming in the next day or so.**

**Thanks for sticking with me and I hope you have enjoyed my story!**


	40. Epilogue The Richest Man On Earth

_Fifteen Years Later_

Phoenix pulled the car into the driveway and climbed out, locking the vehicle with a quick beep as he bounded up the front stairs and into the house.

"Hello? Anybody home?" he called. The house was uncharacteristically quiet.

"I'm in the kitchen, Nick!" Maya called.

With a smile he placed his briefcase down in the usual spot and hung his suit jacket on the coat rack before making his way towards the delicious smells emanating from the kitchen, as well as the woman responsible for them.

"Good evening, beautiful wife." Phoenix said happily as he greeted Maya, who was busy with the salt and pepper grinders. He kissed her forehead as he rubbed her protruding belly.

"And good evening baby Wright." He added, directing his greeting down at Maya's stomach as she smiled. "What's for dinner?"

Maya shook her head. How could he possibly not know what was for dinner?

"What day is it, Nick?" Maya asked.

"Friday," he responded with a small smile.

"And what do we have every Friday night?" Maya urged him to answer.

"I know, but I just like hearing you say it." Phoenix grinned. "You get so excited."

Maya laughed.

"The kids are more excited than I am," she reasoned.

"I doubt that," Phoenix said, narrowing his eyes. "So tell me what we're having for dinner?"

"Burgers..." Maya said, trying her hardest to contain her grin, but failing miserably.

"See?" Phoenix said, "You can't stop grinning."

"How was work?" Maya asked, changing the subject as she laughed.

"Typical." Phoenix groaned, leaning back dramatically against the kitchen counter. "Apollo has that big trial next week and I swear, you'd think he'd never set foot in a court room before."

"He needs to learn to calm down." Maya said as she flipped the burgers.

"I know," Phoenix agreed. "He'll do fine. His client is innocent but he's just still a giant bundle of nerves. I don't know how Vera puts up with him sometimes. It's like every day is his first day all over again."

"Love gives you the patience to put up with a lot of things." Maya shrugged. "I put up with you, don't I?"

"Hey, watch it, missy." Phoenix said, feigning a hurt expression. "If you're not careful you might hurt my feelings."

"Aww," Maya said, turning to Phoenix and pouting at him mockingly.

"Other than that, not much happening," Phoenix shrugged. "I wrapped up the extortion case I was working on last Wednesday, and the junior partners are dealing with the Lady Williams case."

"Is that the one where she left everything to the poodle and not her son and daughter?" Maya asked, pausing to try and remember.

"That's the one." Phoenix nodded.

"What are your thoughts on that one?" Maya asked, flipping the burger patties again.

"To be honest, I'm glad I'm not handling it." Phoenix shrugged "On one hand, I guess it's her right to leave her money to whomever, or whatever, she wants. But on the other hand, she also left her Aston Martin to a six foot purple leopard named Ziggy. That case is going to get tricky."

"Sounds great," Maya said sarcastically. "I still can't wait to get back to the office, though. Now that the boys have started school I'm so bored here. There isn't even anything for me to do in Kurain. Pearl's got everything under control."

Phoenix shook his head at his wife. Even at thirty five years old she still couldn't sit still.

"Well I do miss you making me coffee and those afternoon shoulder massages..." Phoenix said, stroking his chin.

Maya picked up a wooden spoon from the bench and whacked her husband on the arm with it.

"Is that all I'm good for?" Maya said, raising her eyebrows. "If that's the case, I'll just tear up my law degree and take a typewriting class instead."

Phoenix laughed as he rubbed at his shoulder.

"Aw, you know I'm kidding. Besides, the kids are still on summer break for the next week anyway, they'll keep you busy. Not to mention the fact that you're supposed to be taking it easy. At least until we get that little burger monster out of you," Phoenix finished, motioning to her stomach.

Maya sighed rubbing her belly. This third pregnancy seemed to be draining her more than the other two combined, and considering the last one was twins, she was getting the feeling that perhaps she was getting a little too old for the strain that pregnancy put on her body.

"This is the last one, Nick, I swear," she groaned.

Phoenix chuckled.

"You said that last time."

"I know, but I mean it this time," she argued.

"Sure," Phoenix nodded sarcastically.

"I think we're both getting too old for this," Maya sighed, scooping the beef patties from the pan and transferring them to a plate.

"Speak for yourself," Phoenix said as he reached for a piece of the tasty looking meat, earning him another whack on the hand from his wife. "Ow!" he complained, as his five year old sons came barrelling into the kitchen from the backyard.

"Well if it isn't cyclone Christopher and hurricane Alexander!" Phoenix cried, scooping up his twin boys in each arm and settling them on his hips. The boys laughed predictably at his usual greeting.

"So... boys... Tell Daddy what you have destroyed today," Phoenix asked, causing the boys to giggle again.

"Hey Daddy!" Alex cried, grinning through his missing front tooth. "Guess what? Lola can't swim."

"Neither can the patio chair!" Chris added happily.

Phoenix turned back to Maya, raising an eyebrow questioningly.

"Don't ask." Maya sighed, turning her attention back to cleaning the frying pan she had been using.

Poor Maya had spent the morning retrieving items from the swimming pool after her sons had taken it upon themselves to conduct buoyancy experiments, even dragging items of the patio furniture into the pool. She had no worries about both boys being near the pool, as it was summer and both were already strong swimmers, but she hadn't dared imagine the kind of mischief they could get themselves into when she wasn't watching.

Thankfully, she had noticed just in time as Alex had decided to find out if their three year old Beagle Lola could swim. As it turned out, Lola couldn't. Maya had to wade quickly into the pool to pick her up.

"I have a feeling I don't want to know..." Phoenix said, setting the boys on their feet, giving them a look that told them that they had better behave for their mother.

"You two go wash up. Dinner's almost ready," Maya instructed her sons. "Nick, you might need to go help them wash the backyard off their faces."

"You heard your Mom, off you go." Phoenix said, waving the boys off. Alex and Chris ran off in a whirlwind of noise, hopefully towards the bathroom to wash up.

"Where's Mia?" Phoenix asked.

"I think she's in her room." Maya replied. "Can you go keep an eye on the boys, Nick? I don't want them destroying the bathroom," she pleaded as she went to the fridge to collect other bits and pieces for their burgers.

"Alright, I'm going." Phoenix said as he leaned down to give his wife a quick kiss before sprinting off after his mischievous sons.

Taking the stairs two at a time, Phoenix headed towards the bathroom to supervise, but decided to stop outside his daughter's room. She was spread out on the floor, reading from one thing and writing in another while she kicked her legs in time to the music that pumped through her headphones. Mia had not long turned twelve, but had already skipped a grade. His daughter was quite mature for her age.

Phoenix knocked gently on the door frame, causing Mia to look up. She pulled her headphones out of her ears and raised her eyebrows questioningly as her father smiled down at her.

"Hey, Princess." Phoenix said with a smile.

"Hey Dad." Mia replied. "Did you just get home?"

"Yep." Phoenix nodded. "What you up to?"

"Homework," Mia said with an exaggerated sigh.

"Aren't you on a break at the moment?" Phoenix asked.

"Extra credit. It's due when we get back. My new history teacher is a real pain in the ass." Mia complained.

"Mia," Phoenix warned. "Don't let your mother hear you talk like that."

"That's okay, Dad. I only say it in front of you." Mia grinned.

"I'm way too soft on you," Phoenix said, shaking his head at his daughter.

"Speaking of your Mom, dinner's almost ready. She'll probably call you to wash up soon."

Mia nodded.

"Is she making burgers?" she asked hopefully.

"Sure is," Phoenix confirmed.

"Awesome," came the response from his daughter as she closed her book and pulled herself to her feet. Phoenix had been noticing recently that his little Mia had started getting a lot taller. She was definitely going to be taller than her mother, and he couldn't help but feel a little sad that his baby girl was growing up.

"Oh, while I remember, don't make any plans with your friends for Sunday. Your sisters will be here for a barbecue. Apollo and Vera too." Phoenix said.

"I'll be here," Mia said with a quick smile.

"Your Uncle Larry will be here as well, of course, and I'm going to tell your Uncle Miles to bring Benjamin over too. Did you know he's here with his father for the summer?"

Phoenix watched on, unable to hide his amusement as his daughters cheeks reddened ever so slightly. It was no secret that Mia and her friends thought that Benjamin Edgeworth was, like, a totally cute boy, and it was fun to tease his daughter every once in a while. At a year older than Mia, Benjamin was a good kid, even if he was a little stuffy and uptight. Of course it was obvious where those traits came from.

"Yeah, I know he's here for the summer," Mia answered, letting her hair fall in front of her face as she often did when she was embarrassed.

At that moment, Christopher peeked out from behind Phoenix's legs to taunt his older sister.

"Mia loves Benjamin! Mia loves Benjamin!" Chris sang as he shook his hips from side to side.

"Mia loves Benjamin!" Alex chimed in from down the hall.

"Christopher, get out of my room, right now!" Mia yelled.

"Go on," Phoenix prompted his son as he shooed him down the hall. "Don't tease your sister."

Chris giggled maniacally as he headed back to the bathroom to join his brother.

"Don't worry, Princess. Daddy can keep a secret," Phoenix said with a wink.

"Daaad…" Mia whined, rolling her eyes. "You're so embarrassing."

She stopped to stand on her tiptoes and give her father a kiss on the cheek before heading downstairs to join her mother in the kitchen.

Phoenix smiled happily to himself as he watched his little girl head down the stairs. He had never forgotten what Sebastian Fey had told Morgan on the day he died. Sebastian had told her that he didn't want her money, and that his beautiful family were all the riches he would ever need. Now having experienced the same thing himself, Phoenix couldn't think of truer words.

And even as he stepped into the bathroom and surveyed the chaos that his sons had managed to create in mere minutes, Phoenix Wright still felt like the richest man on earth.

* * *

**A/N: Well, that was the most spoilerific venture into my head-canon that I think you're ever going to get. That's why my next fic, The Pieces In Between, is a collection of one-shots that will cover the fifteen years between chapter 39 and this epilogue.**

**There are lots of questions to be answered.**

**When did Phoenix learn to drive a car and why?**

**When did Phoenix and Maya get married?**

**How do they have a twelve year old daughter?**

**Who did Phoenix mean when he mentioned Mia's sisters?**

**How did Maya get her law degree?**

**Who is Benjamin Edgeworth's mother?**

**All will be revealed, in time.**

**Thanks for reading guys!**

**FIN.**


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